Mobile device sharing facilitation methods and systems

ABSTRACT

Structures and protocols are presented for using or otherwise relating to a first mobile device (a smartphone or tablet computer or wearable device, e.g.) configured to be shared by two or more parties such that a subset of the parties may be addressed selectively (in content directed to such parties, e.g.) in a cost-effective manner.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is related to and/or claims the benefit of theearliest available effective filing date(s) from the following listedapplication(s) (the “Priority Applications”), if any, listed below(e.g., claims earliest available priority dates for other thanprovisional patent applications or claims benefits under 35 USC §119(e)for provisional patent applications, for any and all parent,grandparent, great-grandparent, etc. applications of the PriorityApplication(s)).

Priority Applications

For purposes of the USPTO extra-statutory requirements, the presentapplication constitutes a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/042,192 entitled MOBILE DEVICE SHARINGFACILITATION METHODS AND SYSTEMS, naming Edward K. Y. Jung; Royce A.Levien; Richard T. Lord; Robert W. Lord; and Mark A. Malamud asinventors, filed 30 Sep. 2013 with attorney docket no.0213-003-083-000000, which is currently co-pending or is an applicationof which a currently co-pending application is entitled to the benefitof the filing date.

For purposes of the USPTO extra-statutory requirements, the presentapplication constitutes a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/150,271 entitled MOBILE DEVICE SHARINGFACILITATION METHODS AND SYSTEMS FEATURING PARTY IDENTIFIER INCLUSIONSTHAT ARE CONDITIONAL, naming Edward K. Y. Jung; Royce A. Levien; RichardT. Lord; Robert W. Lord; and Mark A. Malamud as inventors, filed 8 Jan.2014 with attorney docket no. 0213-003-084-000000, which is currentlyco-pending or is an application of which a currently co-pendingapplication is entitled to the benefit of the filing date.

For purposes of the USPTO extra-statutory requirements, the presentapplication constitutes a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/150,386 entitled MOBILE DEVICE SHARINGFACILITATION METHODS AND SYSTEMS WITH RECIPIENT-DEPENDENT INCLUSION OF ADATA SELECTION, naming Edward K. Y. Jung; Royce A. Levien; Richard T.Lord; Robert W. Lord; and Mark A. Malamud as inventors, filed 8 Jan.2014 with attorney docket no. 0213-003-085-000000, which is currentlyco-pending or is an application of which a currently co-pendingapplication is entitled to the benefit of the filing date.

For purposes of the USPTO extra-statutory requirements, the presentapplication constitutes a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/150,524 entitled MOBILE DEVICE SHARINGFACILITATION METHODS AND SYSTEMS FEATURING A RECIPIENT-SELECTIVE DEFAULTADDRESS DETERMINATION, naming Edward K. Y. Jung; Royce A. Levien;Richard T. Lord; Robert W. Lord; and Mark A. Malamud as inventors, filed8 Jan. 2014 with attorney docket no. 0213-003-086-000000, which iscurrently co-pending or is an application of which a currentlyco-pending application is entitled to the benefit of the filing date.

For purposes of the USPTO extra-statutory requirements, the presentapplication constitutes a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/175,438 entitled MOBILE DEVICE SHARINGFACILITATION METHODS AND SYSTEMS SUITABLE FOR CAUSING A RELAYEDCOMMUNICATION TO INCLUDE A MOBILE DEVICE IDENTIFIER, naming Edward K. Y.Jung; Royce A. Levien; Richard T. Lord; Robert W. Lord; and Mark A.Malamud as inventors, filed 7 Feb. 2014 with attorney docket no.0213-003-087-000000, which is currently co-pending or is an applicationof which a currently co-pending application is entitled to the benefitof the filing date.

For purposes of the USPTO extra-statutory requirements, the presentapplication constitutes a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/175,511 entitled MOBILE DEVICE SHARINGFACILITATION METHODS AND SYSTEMS, naming Edward K. Y. Jung; Royce A.Levien; Richard T. Lord; Robert W. Lord; and Mark A. Malamud asinventors, filed 7 Feb. 2014 with attorney docket no.0213-003-088-000000, which is currently co-pending or is an applicationof which a currently co-pending application is entitled to the benefitof the filing date.

For purposes of the USPTO extra-statutory requirements, the presentapplication constitutes a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/175,617 entitled MOBILE DEVICE SHARINGFACILITATION METHODS AND SYSTEMS, naming Edward K. Y. Jung; Royce A.Levien; Richard T. Lord; Robert W. Lord; and Mark A. Malamud asinventors, filed 7 Feb. 2014 with attorney docket no.0213-003-089-000000, which is currently co-pending or is an applicationof which a currently co-pending application is entitled to the benefitof the filing date.

For purposes of the USPTO extra-statutory requirements, the presentapplication constitutes a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/200,993 entitled MOBILE DEVICE SHARINGFACILITATION METHODS AND SYSTEMS, naming Edward K. Y. Jung; Royce A.Levien; Richard T. Lord; Robert W. Lord; and Mark A. Malamud asinventors, filed 7 Mar. 2014 with attorney docket no.0213-003-090-000000, which is currently co-pending or is an applicationof which a currently co-pending application is entitled to the benefitof the filing date.

For purposes of the USPTO extra-statutory requirements, the presentapplication constitutes a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/201,302 entitled MOBILE DEVICE SHARINGFACILITATION METHODS AND SYSTEMS, naming Edward K. Y. Jung; Royce A.Levien; Richard T. Lord; Robert W. Lord; and Mark A. Malamud asinventors, filed 7 Mar. 2014 with attorney docket no.0213-003-091-000000, which is currently co-pending or is an applicationof which a currently co-pending application is entitled to the benefitof the filing date.

The United States Patent Office (USPTO) has published a notice to theeffect that the USPTO's computer programs require that patent applicantsreference both a serial number and indicate whether an application is acontinuation, continuation-in-part, or divisional of a parentapplication. Stephen G. Kunin, Benefit of Prior-Filed Application, USPTOOfficial Gazette Mar. 18, 2003. The USPTO further has provided forms forthe Application Data Sheet which allow automatic loading ofbibliographic data but which require identification of each applicationas a continuation, continuation-in-part, or divisional of a parentapplication. The present Applicant Entity (hereinafter “Applicant”) hasprovided above a specific reference to the application(s) from whichpriority is being claimed as recited by statute. Applicant understandsthat the statute is unambiguous in its specific reference language anddoes not require either a serial number or any characterization, such as“continuation” or “continuation-in-part,” for claiming priority to U.S.patent applications. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Applicantunderstands that the USPTO's computer programs have certain data entryrequirements, and hence Applicant has provided designation(s) of arelationship between the present application and its parentapplication(s) as set forth above and in any ADS filed in thisapplication, but expressly points out that such designation(s) are notto be construed in any way as any type of commentary and/or admission asto whether or not the present application contains any new matter inaddition to the matter of its parent application(s).

If the listings of applications provided above are inconsistent with thelistings provided via an ADS, it is the intent of the Applicant to claimpriority to each application that appears in the Priority Applicationssection of the ADS and to each application that appears in the PriorityApplications section of this application.

All subject matter of the Priority Applications and of any and allparent, grandparent, great-grandparent, etc. applications of thePriority Applications, including any priority claims, is incorporatedherein by reference to the extent such subject matter is notinconsistent herewith.

If an Application Data Sheet (ADS) has been filed on the filing date ofthis application, it is incorporated by reference herein. Anyapplications claimed on the ADS for priority under 35 U.S.C. §§119, 120,121, or 365(c), and any and all parent, grandparent, great-grandparent,etc. applications of such applications, are also incorporated byreference, including any priority claims made in those applications andany material incorporated by reference, to the extent such subjectmatter is not inconsistent herewith.

Under the auspices of various alleged “rules” implementing the AmericaInvents Act (AIA), the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)is purporting to require that an Attorney for a Client make variouslegal and/or factual statements/commentaries/admissions (e.g. Concerningany “Statement under 37 CFR 1.55 or 1.78 for AIA (First Inventor toFile) Transition Application”) related to written description/newmatter, and/or advise his Client to make such legal and/or factualstatements/commentaries/admissions. Attorney expressly points out thatthe burden of both alleging that an application contains new matter withrespect to its parent(s) and establishing a prima facie case of lack ofwritten description under 35 U.S.C. §112, first paragraph lies firmly onthe USPTO. Accordingly, and expressly in view of duties owed his client,Attorney further points out that the AIA legislation, while referencingthe first to file, does not appear to constitute enabling legislationthat would empower the USPTO to compel an Attorney to either make/advisesuch legal and/or factual statements/commentaries/admissions.Notwithstanding the foregoing, Attorney/Applicant understand that theUSPTO's computer programs/personnel have certain data entryrequirements, and hence Attorney/Applicant have provided adesignation(s) of a relationship between the present application and itsparent application(s) as set forth herein and in any ADS filed in thisapplication, but expressly points out that such designation(s) are notto be construed in any way as any type of commentary and/or admission asto whether or not a claim in the present application is supported by aparent application, or whether or not the present application containsany new matter in addition to the matter of its parent application(s) ingeneral and/or especially as such might relate to an effective filingdate before, on, or after 16 Mar. 2013.

Insofar that the Attorney/Applicant may have made certain statements inview of practical data entry requirements of the USPTO should NOT betaken as an admission of any sort. Attorney/Applicant hereby reservesany and all rights to contest/contradict/confirm such statements at alater time. Furthermore, no waiver (legal, factual, or otherwise),implicit or explicit, is hereby intended (e.g., with respect to anystatements/admissions made by the Attorney/Applicant in response to thepurported requirements of the USPTO related to the relationship betweenthe present application and parent application[s], and/or regarding newmatter or alleged new matter relative to the parent application[s]). Forexample, although not expressly stated and possibly despite adesignation of the present application as a continuation-in-part of aparent application, Attorney/Applicant may later assert that the presentapplication or one or more of its claims do not contain any new matterin addition to the matter of its parent application[s], or vice versa.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to facilitating connectivity in wirelesscommunications.

SUMMARY

Various embodiments and contexts are presented, many of which concern amobile device “configured to be shared by two or more parties” (thatinclude a first party and a second party, e.g.). As used herein, thatterm does not generally include a conventional telephone that has onlybeen assigned a single phone number (that users of the device all giveout as a “house phone #” shared by roommates, e.g.). Neither does itinclude a speakerphone that merely causes a remote party's voiceuttering names of local parties to be presented at a local interface(e.g. “hey, are Capulet or Juliet available?”). Likewise a mobile device“configured to be shared” may comprise a device with special-purposecircuitry by which a selected subset of users of the device can beremotely addressed (one or more individuals authorized to receive anincoming call or message without initiating any message retrieval, e.g.)as described below, but does not include a conventional mobile device bywhich several parties simultaneously use a single microphone positionedamong them (to sing in unison, e.g.). Neither does it describe a mobiledevice by which users merely take turns retrieving their respectivemessages from a cloud server in a conventional manner. The mere use of aconventional mobile device by more than one party does not render thedevice “configured to be shared” as that term is used herein.

An embodiment provides a method concerning a mobile device configured tobe shared by two or more parties. In one implementation, the methodincludes but is not limited to causing an inclusion of a reference valuein a first record of a first communication from first equipment in adata-handling medium of second equipment and transmitting a secondcommunication to a first mobile device configured to be shared by two ormore parties that include a first party and a second partyconditionally, partly based on an indication of user action at thesecond equipment and partly based on an indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching an index of a second record resulting from the firstcommunication. In addition to the foregoing, other method aspects aredescribed in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of thepresent disclosure.

In one or more various aspects, related machines, compositions ofmatter, or manufactures of systems may include virtually any combinationpermissible under 35 U.S.C. §101 of hardware, software, and/or firmwareconfigured to effect the herein-referenced method aspects depending uponthe design choices of the system designer.

An embodiment provides a system. In one implementation, the systemincludes but is not limited to circuitry configured to cause aninclusion of a reference value in a first record of a firstcommunication from first equipment in a data-handling medium of secondequipment and circuitry configured to transmit a second communication toa first mobile device configured to be shared by two or more partiesthat include a first party and a second party conditionally, partlybased on an indication of user action at the second equipment and partlybased on an indication of the reference value in the first record of thefirst communication from the first equipment matching an index of asecond record resulting from the first communication. In addition to theforegoing, other system aspects are described in the claims, drawings,and text forming a part of the present disclosure.

An embodiment provides an article of manufacture including a computerprogram product. In one implementation, the article of manufactureincludes but is not limited to a tangible medium configured bear adevice-detectable implementation or output manifesting an occurrence ofa method related to causing an inclusion of a reference value in a firstrecord of a first communication from first equipment in a data-handlingmedium of second equipment and transmitting a second communication to afirst mobile device configured to be shared by two or more parties thatinclude a first party and a second party conditionally, partly based onan indication of user action at the second equipment and partly based onan indication of the reference value in the first record of the firstcommunication from the first equipment matching an index of a secondrecord resulting from the first communication. In addition to theforegoing, other computer program product aspects are described in theclaims, drawings, and text forming a part of the present disclosure.

An embodiment provides a system. In one implementation, the systemincludes but is not limited to a computing device and instructions. Theinstructions when executed on the computing device configure thecomputing device for causing an inclusion of a reference value in afirst record of a first communication from first equipment in adata-handling medium of second equipment and transmitting a secondcommunication to a first mobile device configured to be shared by two ormore parties that include a first party and a second partyconditionally, partly based on an indication of user action at thesecond equipment and partly based on an indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching an index of a second record resulting from the firstcommunication. In addition to the foregoing, other system aspects aredescribed in the claims, drawings, and text forming a part of thepresent disclosure.

In addition to the foregoing, various other method and/or system and/orprogram product aspects are set forth and described in the teachingssuch as text (e.g., claims and/or detailed description) and/or drawingsof the present disclosure. The foregoing is a summary and thus maycontain simplifications, generalizations, inclusions, and/or omissionsof detail; consequently, those skilled in the art will appreciate thatthe summary is illustrative only and is NOT intended to be in any waylimiting. Other aspects, features, and advantages of the devices and/orprocesses and/or other subject matter described herein will becomeapparent in the teachings set forth below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

For a more complete understanding of embodiments, reference now is madeto the following descriptions taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings. The use of the same symbols in different drawings typicallyindicates similar or identical items, unless context dictates otherwise.The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description,drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments maybe utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from thespirit or scope of the subject matter presented here. The following is abrief description of the several views of the drawings as described in37 CFR 1.74, 37 CFR 1.77(b)(9), and 37 CFR 1.84:

FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary environment in which one or moretechnologies may be implemented, including event-sequencing logic (aschematic depiction of an electronic or electromechanical apparatusimplemented as circuitry, e.g.).

FIG. 2 depicts an exemplary environment in which one or moretechnologies may be implemented, including event-sequencing logic.

FIG. 3 comprises an 18-sheet depiction of an environment in whichseveral entities may interact via various networks and in which severalcomponent views are labeled as FIGS. 3-A through 3-R.

FIG. 3-A depicts a 3×6 grid of view identifiers of the 18 respectivecomponent views of FIG. 3.

FIG. 3-B comprises a portion of FIG. 3 that depicts a devicereconfiguration service provider.

FIG. 3-C comprises a portion of FIG. 3 that depicts in integratedcircuit chip and a device component manufacturer.

FIG. 3-D comprises a portion of FIG. 3 that depicts a first wirelesscommunication service provider.

FIG. 3-E comprises a portion of FIG. 3 that depicts a party using afirst mobile device after it is reconfigured (to facilitate devicesharing via one or more dependent identifiers, e.g.).

FIG. 3-F comprises a portion of FIG. 3 that depicts another party usingthe first mobile device before it is reconfigured.

FIG. 3-G comprises a portion of FIG. 3 that depicts additional networksubsystems.

FIG. 3-H comprises a portion of FIG. 3 that depicts an internet serviceprovider (ISP).

FIG. 3-I comprises a portion of FIG. 3 that depicts a hotspot provider.

FIG. 3-J comprises a portion of FIG. 3 that depicts a switch.

FIG. 3-K comprises a portion of FIG. 3 that depicts additional networksubsystems.

FIG. 3-L comprises a portion of FIG. 3 that depicts first resources of asecond wireless communication service provider.

FIG. 3-M comprises a portion of FIG. 3 that depicts a second internetservice provider.

FIG. 3-N comprises a portion of FIG. 3 that depicts a support serviceprovider and a device manufacturer.

FIG. 3-O comprises a portion of FIG. 3 that depicts second resources ofthe second wireless communication service provider.

FIG. 3-P comprises a portion of FIG. 3 that depicts a wireless localarea network (WLAN) zone and parties who can use a second mobile device.

FIG. 3-Q comprises a portion of FIG. 3 that depicts another party whocan use the second mobile device.

FIG. 3-R comprises a portion of FIG. 3 that depicts a networkmaintenance service provider that can facilitate cellular service to thesecond mobile device.

FIG. 4 depicts an exemplary environment in which one or moretechnologies may be implemented, including a schematic depiction of adevice.

FIG. 5 depicts an exemplary environment in which one or moretechnologies may be implemented, including a schematic depiction ofevent-sequencing logic (a schematic depiction of an electronic orelectromechanical apparatus implemented as circuitry, e.g.).

FIG. 6 depicts an exemplary environment in which one or moretechnologies may be implemented, including a schematic depiction of adata handling medium.

FIG. 7 depicts an exemplary environment in which one or moretechnologies may be implemented, including a schematic depiction ofevent-sequencing logic.

FIG. 8 depicts an exemplary environment in which one or moretechnologies may be implemented, including a schematic depiction ofevent-sequencing logic (a schematic depiction of an electronic orelectromechanical apparatus implemented as circuitry, e.g.).

FIG. 9 depicts an exemplary environment in which one or moretechnologies may be implemented, including a schematic depiction ofevent-sequencing logic.

FIG. 10 depicts an exemplary environment in which one or moretechnologies may be implemented, including a schematic depiction ofevent-sequencing logic (a schematic depiction of an electronic orelectromechanical apparatus implemented as circuitry, e.g.).

FIGS. 11-16 each depict an exemplary environment in which one or moretechnologies may be implemented in tangible data-handling media.

FIG. 17 depicts another exemplary environment in which one or moretechnologies may be implemented in circuitry or other event-sequencinglogic.

FIG. 18 depicts another exemplary environment in which one or moretechnologies may be implemented in circuitry or other event-sequencinglogic.

FIG. 19 depicts another exemplary environment in which one or moretechnologies may be implemented in circuitry or other event-sequencinglogic.

FIG. 20 depicts another exemplary environment in which one or moretechnologies may be implemented in circuitry or other event-sequencinglogic.

FIG. 21 depicts an exemplary environment in which one or moretechnologies may be implemented between a primary device and a secondarydevice.

FIG. 22 depicts another exemplary environment in which one or moretechnologies may be implemented in circuitry or other event-sequencinglogic.

FIG. 23 depicts another exemplary environment in which one or moretechnologies may be implemented in circuitry or other event-sequencinglogic.

FIG. 24 depicts another exemplary environment in which one or moretechnologies may be implemented in circuitry or other event-sequencinglogic.

FIG. 25 depicts another exemplary environment in which one or moretechnologies may be implemented in circuitry or other event-sequencinglogic.

FIG. 26 depicts another exemplary environment in which one or moretechnologies may be implemented in circuitry or other event-sequencinglogic.

FIG. 27 depicts another exemplary environment in which one or moretechnologies may be implemented in circuitry or other event-sequencinglogic.

FIG. 28 depicts another exemplary environment in which one or moretechnologies may be implemented in circuitry or other event-sequencinglogic.

FIGS. 29-30 each depict an exemplary environment in which one or moretechnologies may be implemented in tangible data-handling media.

FIG. 31 depicts another exemplary environment in which one or moretechnologies may be implemented in circuitry or other event-sequencinglogic.

FIG. 32 depicts another exemplary environment in which one or moretechnologies may be implemented in circuitry or other event-sequencinglogic.

FIGS. 33-34 each depict an exemplary environment in which one or moretechnologies may be implemented in tangible data-handling media.

FIG. 35 depicts another exemplary environment in which one or moretechnologies may be implemented in circuitry or other event-sequencinglogic.

FIG. 36 depicts an exemplary environment in which one or moretechnologies may be implemented between respective parties.

FIG. 37 depicts a high-level logic flow of an operational process(described with reference to FIG. 36, e.g.).

FIG. 38 depicts a high-level logic flow of an operational process withseveral optional operations.

FIG. 39 likewise depicts variants of earlier-presented flows.

FIG. 40 likewise depicts variants of earlier-presented flows.

FIG. 41 likewise depicts variants of earlier-presented flows.

FIG. 42 likewise depicts variants of earlier-presented flows.

FIG. 43 likewise depicts variants of earlier-presented flows.

FIG. 44 likewise depicts variants of earlier-presented flows.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings,similar symbols typically identify similar or identical components oritems, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodimentsdescribed in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are notmeant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and otherchanges may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of thesubject matter presented here.

The present application uses formal outline headings for clarity ofpresentation. However, it is to be understood that the outline headingsare for presentation purposes, and that different types of subjectmatter may be discussed throughout the application (e.g.,device(s)/structure(s) may be described under process(es)/operationsheading(s) and/or process(es)/operations may be discussed understructure(s)/process(es) headings; and/or descriptions of single topicsmay span two or more topic headings). Hence, the use of the formaloutline headings is not intended to be in any way limiting.

Throughout this application, examples and lists are given, withparentheses, the abbreviation “e.g.,” or both. Unless explicitlyotherwise stated, these examples and lists are merely exemplary and arenon-exhaustive. In most cases, it would be prohibitive to list everyexample and every combination. Thus, smaller, illustrative lists andexamples are used, with focus on imparting understanding of the claimterms rather than limiting the scope of such terms.

With respect to the use of substantially any plural and/or singularterms herein, those having skill in the art can translate from theplural to the singular and/or from the singular to the plural as isappropriate to the context and/or application. The varioussingular/plural permutations are not expressly set forth herein for sakeof clarity.

One skilled in the art will recognize that the herein describedcomponents (e.g., operations), devices, objects, and the discussionaccompanying them are used as examples for the sake of conceptualclarity and that various configuration modifications are contemplated.Consequently, as used herein, the specific exemplars set forth and theaccompanying discussion are intended to be representative of their moregeneral classes. In general, use of any specific exemplar is intended tobe representative of its class, and the non-inclusion of specificcomponents (e.g., operations), devices, and objects should not be takenlimiting.

Those having skill in the art will recognize that the state of the arthas progressed to the point where there is little distinction leftbetween hardware, software, and/or firmware implementations of aspectsof systems; the use of hardware, software, and/or firmware is generally(but not always, in that in certain contexts the choice between hardwareand software can become significant) a design choice representing costvs. efficiency tradeoffs. Those having skill in the art will appreciatethat there are various vehicles by which processes and/or systems and/orother technologies described herein can be effected (e.g., hardware,software, and/or firmware), and that the preferred vehicle will varywith the context in which the processes and/or systems and/or othertechnologies are deployed. For example, if an implementer determinesthat speed and accuracy are paramount, the implementer may opt for amainly hardware and/or firmware vehicle; alternatively, if flexibilityis paramount, the implementer may opt for a mainly softwareimplementation; or, yet again alternatively, the implementer may opt forsome combination of hardware, software, and/or firmware in one or moremachines, compositions of matter, and articles of manufacture, limitedto patentable subject matter under 35 USC 101. Hence, there are severalpossible vehicles by which the processes and/or devices and/or othertechnologies described herein may be effected, none of which isinherently superior to the other in that any vehicle to be utilized is achoice dependent upon the context in which the vehicle will be deployedand the specific concerns (e.g., speed, flexibility, or predictability)of the implementer, any of which may vary. Those skilled in the art willrecognize that optical aspects of implementations will typically employoptically-oriented hardware, software, and or firmware.

In some implementations described herein, logic and similarimplementations may include software or other control structures.Electronic circuitry, for example, may have one or more paths ofelectrical current constructed and arranged to implement variousfunctions as described herein. In some implementations, one or moremedia may be configured to bear a device-detectable implementation whensuch media hold or transmit device detectable instructions operable toperform as described herein. In some variants, for example,implementations may include an update or modification of existingsoftware or firmware, or of gate arrays or programmable hardware, suchas by performing a reception of or a transmission of one or moreinstructions in relation to one or more operations described herein.Alternatively or additionally, in some variants, an implementation mayinclude special-purpose hardware, software, firmware components, and/orgeneral-purpose components executing or otherwise invokingspecial-purpose components. Specifications or other implementations maybe transmitted by one or more instances of tangible transmission mediaas described herein, optionally by packet transmission or otherwise bypassing through distributed media at various times.

Alternatively or additionally, implementations may include executing aspecial-purpose instruction sequence or invoking circuitry for enabling,triggering, coordinating, requesting, or otherwise causing one or moreoccurrences of virtually any functional operation described herein. Insome variants, operational or other logical descriptions herein may beexpressed as source code and compiled or otherwise invoked as anexecutable instruction sequence. In some contexts, for example,implementations may be provided, in whole or in part, by source code,such as C++, or other code sequences. In other implementations, sourceor other code implementation, using commercially available and/ortechniques in the art, may be compiled//implemented/translated/convertedinto a high-level descriptor language (e.g., initially implementingdescribed technologies in C or C++ programming language and thereafterconverting the programming language implementation into alogic-synthesizable language implementation, a hardware descriptionlanguage implementation, a hardware design simulation implementation,and/or other such similar mode(s) of expression). For example, some orall of a logical expression (e.g., computer programming languageimplementation) may be manifested as a Verilog-type hardware description(e.g., via Hardware Description Language (HDL) and/or Very High SpeedIntegrated Circuit Hardware Descriptor Language (VHDL)) or othercircuitry model which may then be used to create a physicalimplementation having hardware (e.g., an Application Specific IntegratedCircuit). Those skilled in the art will recognize how to obtain,configure, and optimize suitable transmission or computational elements,material supplies, actuators, or other structures in light of theseteachings.

The claims, description, and drawings of this application may describeone or more of the instant technologies in operational/functionallanguage, for example as a set of operations to be performed by acomputer. Such operational/functional description in most instanceswould be understood by one skilled the art as specifically-configuredhardware (e.g., because a general purpose computer in effect becomes aspecial purpose computer once it is programmed to perform particularfunctions pursuant to instructions from program software).

Importantly, although the operational/functional descriptions describedherein are understandable by the human mind, they are not abstract ideasof the operations/functions divorced from computational implementationof those operations/functions. Rather, the operations/functionsrepresent a specification for massively complex computational machinesor other means. As discussed in detail below, the operational/functionallanguage must be read in its proper technological context, i.e., asconcrete specifications for physical implementations.

The logical operations/functions described herein are a distillation ofmachine specifications or other physical mechanisms specified by theoperations/functions such that the otherwise inscrutable machinespecifications may be comprehensible to a human reader. The distillationalso allows one of skill in the art to adapt the operational/functionaldescription of the technology across many different specific vendors'hardware configurations or platforms, without being limited to specificvendors' hardware configurations or platforms.

Some of the present technical description (e.g., detailed description,drawings, claims, etc.) may be set forth in terms of logicaloperations/functions. As described in more detail herein, these logicaloperations/functions are not representations of abstract ideas, butrather are representative of static or sequenced specifications ofvarious hardware elements. Differently stated, unless context dictatesotherwise, the logical operations/functions will be understood by thoseof skill in the art to be representative of static or sequencedspecifications of various hardware elements. This is true because toolsavailable to one of skill in the art to implement technical disclosuresset forth in operational/functional formats—tools in the form of ahigh-level programming language (e.g., C, java, visual basic), etc.), ortools in the form of Very high speed Hardware Description Language(“VHDL,” which is a language that uses text to describe logiccircuits)—are generators of static or sequenced specifications ofvarious hardware configurations. This fact is sometimes obscured by thebroad term “software,” but, as shown by the following explanation, thoseskilled in the art understand that what is termed “software” is ashorthand for a massively complex interchaining/specification ofordered-matter elements. The term “ordered-matter elements” may refer tophysical components of computation, such as assemblies of electroniclogic gates, molecular computing logic constituents, quantum computingmechanisms, etc.

For example, a high-level programming language is a programming languagewith strong abstraction, e.g., multiple levels of abstraction, from thedetails of the sequential organizations, states, inputs, outputs, etc.,of the machines that a high-level programming language actuallyspecifies. See, e.g., Wikipedia, High-level programming language,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-level_programming_language (as of Jun.5, 2012, 21:00 GMT). In order to facilitate human comprehension, in manyinstances, high-level programming languages resemble or even sharesymbols with natural languages. See, e.g., Wikipedia, Natural language,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_language (as of Jun. 5, 2012, 21:00GMT).

It has been argued that because high-level programming languages usestrong abstraction (e.g., that they may resemble or share symbols withnatural languages), they are therefore a “purely mental construct”(e.g., that “software”—a computer program or computer programming—issomehow an ineffable mental construct, because at a high level ofabstraction, it can be conceived and understood by a human reader). Thisargument has been used to characterize technical description in the formof functions/operations as somehow “abstract ideas.” In fact, intechnological arts (e.g., the information and communicationtechnologies) this is not true.

The fact that high-level programming languages use strong abstraction tofacilitate human understanding should not be taken as an indication thatwhat is expressed is an abstract idea. In fact, those skilled in the artunderstand that just the opposite is true. If a high-level programminglanguage is the tool used to implement a technical disclosure in theform of functions/operations, those skilled in the art will recognizethat, far from being abstract, imprecise, “fuzzy,” or “mental” in anysignificant semantic sense, such a tool is instead a nearincomprehensibly precise sequential specification of specificcomputational machines—the parts of which are built up byactivating/selecting such parts from typically more generalcomputational machines over time (e.g., clocked time). This fact issometimes obscured by the superficial similarities between high-levelprogramming languages and natural languages. These superficialsimilarities also may cause a glossing over of the fact that high-levelprogramming language implementations ultimately perform valuable work bycreating/controlling many different computational machines.

The many different computational machines that a high-level programminglanguage specifies are almost unimaginably complex. At base, thehardware used in the computational machines typically consists of sometype of ordered matter (e.g., traditional electronic devices (e.g.,transistors), deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), quantum devices, mechanicalswitches, optics, fluidics, pneumatics, optical devices (e.g., opticalinterference devices), molecules, etc.) that are arranged to form logicgates. Logic gates are typically physical devices that may beelectrically, mechanically, chemically, or otherwise driven to changephysical state in order to create a physical reality of logic, such asBoolean logic.

Logic gates may be arranged to form logic circuits, which are typicallyphysical devices that may be electrically, mechanically, chemically, orotherwise driven to create a physical reality of certain logicalfunctions. Types of logic circuits include such devices as multiplexers,registers, arithmetic logic units (ALUs), computer memory, etc., eachtype of which may be combined to form yet other types of physicaldevices, such as a central processing unit (CPU)—the best known of whichis the microprocessor. A modern microprocessor will often contain morethan one hundred million logic gates in its many logic circuits (andoften more than a billion transistors). See, e.g., Wikipedia, Logicgates, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logic_gates (as of Jun. 5, 2012,21:03 GMT).

The logic circuits forming the microprocessor are arranged to provide amicroarchitecture that will carry out the instructions defined by thatmicroprocessor's defined Instruction Set Architecture. The InstructionSet Architecture is the part of the microprocessor architecture relatedto programming, including the native data types, instructions,registers, addressing modes, memory architecture, interrupt andexception handling, and external Input/Output. See, e.g., Wikipedia,Computer architecture,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_architecture (as of Jun. 5, 2012,21:03 GMT).

The Instruction Set Architecture includes a specification of the machinelanguage that can be used by programmers to use/control themicroprocessor. Since the machine language instructions are such thatthey may be executed directly by the microprocessor, typically theyconsist of strings of binary digits, or bits. For example, a typicalmachine language instruction might be many bits long (e.g., 32, 64, or128 bit strings are currently common). A typical machine languageinstruction might take the form “11110000101011110000111100111111” (a 32bit instruction).

It is significant here that, although the machine language instructionsare written as sequences of binary digits, in actuality those binarydigits specify physical reality. For example, if certain semiconductorsare used to make the operations of Boolean logic a physical reality, theapparently mathematical bits “1” and “0” in a machine languageinstruction actually constitute a shorthand that specifies theapplication of specific voltages to specific wires. For example, in somesemiconductor technologies, the binary number “1” (e.g., logical “1”) ina machine language instruction specifies around +5 volts applied to aspecific “wire” (e.g., metallic traces on a printed circuit board) andthe binary number “0” (e.g., logical “0”) in a machine languageinstruction specifies around −5 volts applied to a specific “wire.” Inaddition to specifying voltages of the machines' configurations, suchmachine language instructions also select out and activate specificgroupings of logic gates from the millions of logic gates of the moregeneral machine. Thus, far from abstract mathematical expressions,machine language instruction programs, even though written as a stringof zeros and ones, specify many, many constructed physical machines orphysical machine states.

Machine language is typically incomprehensible by most humans (e.g., theabove example was just ONE instruction, and some personal computersexecute more than two billion instructions every second). See, e.g.,Wikipedia, Instructions per second,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instructions_per_second (as of Jun. 5,2012, 21:04 GMT). Thus, programs written in machine language—which maybe tens of millions of machine language instructions long—areincomprehensible to most humans. In view of this, early assemblylanguages were developed that used mnemonic codes to refer to machinelanguage instructions, rather than using the machine languageinstructions' numeric values directly (e.g., for performing amultiplication operation, programmers coded the abbreviation “mult,”which represents the binary number “011000” in MIPS machine code). Whileassembly languages were initially a great aid to humans controlling themicroprocessors to perform work, in time the complexity of the work thatneeded to be done by the humans outstripped the ability of humans tocontrol the microprocessors using merely assembly languages.

At this point, it was noted that the same tasks needed to be done overand over, and the machine language necessary to do those repetitivetasks was the same. In view of this, compilers were created. A compileris a device that takes a statement that is more comprehensible to ahuman than either machine or assembly language, such as “add 2+2 andoutput the result,” and translates that human understandable statementinto a complicated, tedious, and immense machine language code (e.g.,millions of 32, 64, or 4128 bit length strings). Compilers thustranslate high-level programming language into machine language.

This compiled machine language, as described above, is then used as thetechnical specification which sequentially constructs and causes theinteroperation of many different computational machines such thatuseful, tangible, and concrete work is done. For example, as indicatedabove, such machine language—the compiled version of the higher-levellanguage—functions as a technical specification which selects outhardware logic gates, specifies voltage levels, voltage transitiontimings, etc., such that the useful work is accomplished by thehardware.

Thus, a functional/operational technical description, when viewed by oneof skill in the art, is far from an abstract idea. Rather, such afunctional/operational technical description, when understood throughthe tools available in the art such as those just described, is insteadunderstood to be a humanly understandable representation of a hardwarespecification, the complexity and specificity of which far exceeds thecomprehension of most any one human. With this in mind, those skilled inthe art will understand that any such operational/functional technicaldescriptions—in view of the disclosures herein and the knowledge ofthose skilled in the art—may be understood as operations made intophysical reality by (a) one or more interchained physical machines, (b)interchained logic gates configured to create one or more physicalmachine(s) representative of sequential/combinatorial logic(s), (c)interchained ordered matter making up logic gates (e.g., interchainedelectronic devices (e.g., transistors), DNA, quantum devices, mechanicalswitches, optics, fluidics, pneumatics, molecules, etc.) that createphysical reality of logic(s), or (d) virtually any combination of theforegoing. Indeed, any physical object which has a stable, measurable,and changeable state may be used to construct a machine based on theabove technical description. Charles Babbage, for example, constructedthe first mechanized computational apparatus out of wood, with theapparatus powered by cranking a handle.

Thus, far from being understood as an abstract idea, those skilled inthe art will recognize a functional/operational technical description asa humanly-understandable representation of one or more almostunimaginably complex and time sequenced hardware instantiations. Thefact that functional/operational technical descriptions might lendthemselves readily to high-level computing languages (or high-levelblock diagrams for that matter) that share some words, structures,phrases, etc. with natural language should not be taken as an indicationthat such functional/operational technical descriptions are abstractideas, or mere expressions of abstract ideas. In fact, as outlinedherein, in the technological arts this is simply not true. When viewedthrough the tools available to those of skill in the art, suchfunctional/operational technical descriptions are seen as specifyinghardware configurations of almost unimaginable complexity.

As outlined above, the reason for the use of functional/operationaltechnical descriptions is at least twofold. First, the use offunctional/operational technical descriptions allows near-infinitelycomplex machines and machine operations arising from interchainedhardware elements to be described in a manner that the human mind canprocess (e.g., by mimicking natural language and logical narrativeflow). Second, the use of functional/operational technical descriptionsassists the person of skill in the art in understanding the describedsubject matter by providing a description that is more or lessindependent of any specific vendor's piece(s) of hardware.

The use of functional/operational technical descriptions assists theperson of skill in the art in understanding the described subject mattersince, as is evident from the above discussion, one could easily,although not quickly, transcribe the technical descriptions set forth inthis document as trillions of ones and zeroes, billions of single linesof assembly-level machine code, millions of logic gates, thousands ofgate arrays, or any number of intermediate levels of abstractions.However, if any such low-level technical descriptions were to replacethe present technical description, a person of skill in the art couldencounter undue difficulty in implementing the disclosure, because sucha low-level technical description would likely add complexity without acorresponding benefit (e.g., by describing the subject matter utilizingthe conventions of one or more vendor-specific pieces of hardware).Thus, the use of functional/operational technical descriptions assiststhose of skill in the art by separating the technical descriptions fromthe conventions of any vendor-specific piece of hardware.

In view of the foregoing, the logical operations/functions set forth inthe present technical description are representative of static orsequenced specifications of various ordered-matter elements, in orderthat such specifications may be comprehensible to the human mind andadaptable to create many various hardware configurations. The logicaloperations/functions disclosed herein should be treated as such, andshould not be disparagingly characterized as abstract ideas merelybecause the specifications they represent are presented in a manner thatone of skill in the art can readily understand and apply in a mannerindependent of a specific vendor's hardware implementation.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that it is common within the artto implement devices and/or processes and/or systems, and thereafter useengineering and/or other practices to integrate such implemented devicesand/or processes and/or systems into more comprehensive devices and/orprocesses and/or systems. That is, at least a portion of the devicesand/or processes and/or systems described herein can be integrated intoother devices and/or processes and/or systems via a reasonable amount ofexperimentation. Those having skill in the art will recognize thatexamples of such other devices and/or processes and/or systems mightinclude—as appropriate to context and application—all or part of devicesand/or processes and/or systems of (a) an air conveyance (e.g., anairplane, rocket, helicopter, etc.), (b) a ground conveyance (e.g., acar, truck, locomotive, tank, armored personnel carrier, etc.), (c) abuilding (e.g., a home, warehouse, office, etc.), (d) an appliance(e.g., a refrigerator, a washing machine, a dryer, etc.), (e) acommunications system (e.g., a networked system, a telephone system, aVoice over IP system, etc.), (f) a business entity (e.g., an InternetService Provider (ISP) entity such as Comcast Cable, Qwest, SouthwesternBell, etc.), or (g) a wired/wireless services entity (e.g., Sprint,Cingular, Nextel, etc.), etc.

In certain cases, use of a system or method may occur in a territoryeven if components are located outside the territory. For example, in adistributed computing context, use of a distributed computing system mayoccur in a territory even though parts of the system may be locatedoutside of the territory (e.g., relay, server, processor, signal-bearingmedium, transmitting computer, receiving computer, etc. located outsidethe territory).

A sale of a system or method may likewise occur in a territory even ifcomponents of the system or method are located and/or used outside theterritory. Further, implementation of at least part of a system forperforming a method in one territory does not preclude use of the systemin another territory

One skilled in the art will recognize that the herein describedcomponents (e.g., operations), devices, objects, and the discussionaccompanying them are used as examples for the sake of conceptualclarity and that various configuration modifications are contemplated.Consequently, as used herein, the specific exemplars set forth and theaccompanying discussion are intended to be representative of their moregeneral classes. In general, use of any specific exemplar is intended tobe representative of its class, and the non-inclusion of specificcomponents (e.g., operations), devices, and objects should not be takenlimiting.

The herein described subject matter sometimes illustrates differentcomponents contained within, or connected with, different othercomponents. It is to be understood that such depicted architectures aremerely exemplary, and that in fact many other architectures may beimplemented which achieve the same functionality. In a conceptual sense,any arrangement of components to achieve the same functionality iseffectively “associated” such that the desired functionality isachieved. Hence, any two components herein combined to achieve aparticular functionality can be seen as “associated with” each othersuch that the desired functionality is achieved, irrespective ofarchitectures or intermedial components. Likewise, any two components soassociated can also be viewed as being “operably connected”, or“operably coupled,” to each other to achieve the desired functionality,and any two components capable of being so associated can also be viewedas being “operably couplable,” to each other to achieve the desiredfunctionality. Specific examples of operably couplable include but arenot limited to physically mateable and/or physically interactingcomponents, and/or wirelessly interactable, and/or wirelesslyinteracting components, and/or logically interacting, and/or logicallyinteractable components.

In some instances, one or more components may be referred to herein as“configured to,” “configured by,” “configurable to,” “operable/operativeto,” “adapted/adaptable,” “able to,” “conformable/conformed to,” etc.Those skilled in the art will recognize that such terms (e.g.“configured to”) generally encompass active-state components and/orinactive-state components and/or standby-state components, unlesscontext requires otherwise.

In a general sense, those skilled in the art will recognize that thevarious embodiments described herein can be implemented, individuallyand/or collectively, by various types of electro-mechanical systemshaving a wide range of electrical components such as hardware, software,firmware, and/or virtually any combination thereof, limited topatentable subject matter under 35 U.S.C. 101; and a wide range ofcomponents that may impart mechanical force or motion such as rigidbodies, spring or torsional bodies, hydraulics, electro-magneticallyactuated devices, and/or virtually any combination thereof Consequently,as used herein “electro-mechanical system” includes, but is not limitedto, electrical circuitry operably coupled with a transducer (e.g., anactuator, a motor, a piezoelectric crystal, a Micro Electro MechanicalSystem (MEMS), etc.), electrical circuitry having at least one discreteelectrical circuit, electrical circuitry having at least one integratedcircuit, electrical circuitry having at least one application specificintegrated circuit, electrical circuitry forming a general purposecomputing device configured by a computer program (e.g., a generalpurpose computer configured by a computer program which at leastpartially carries out processes and/or devices described herein, or amicroprocessor configured by a computer program which at least partiallycarries out processes and/or devices described herein), electricalcircuitry forming a memory device (e.g., forms of memory (e.g., randomaccess, flash, read only, etc.)), electrical circuitry forming acommunications device (e.g., a modem, communications switch,optical-electrical equipment, etc.), and/or any non-electrical analogthereto, such as optical or other analogs (e.g., graphene basedcircuitry). Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that examplesof electro-mechanical systems include but are not limited to a varietyof consumer electronics systems, medical devices, as well as othersystems such as motorized transport systems, factory automation systems,security systems, and/or communication/computing systems. Those skilledin the art will recognize that electro-mechanical as used herein is notnecessarily limited to a system that has both electrical and mechanicalactuation except as context may dictate otherwise.

In a general sense, those skilled in the art will recognize that thevarious aspects described herein which can be implemented, individuallyand/or collectively, by a wide range of hardware, software, firmware,and/or any combination thereof can be viewed as being composed ofvarious types of “electrical circuitry.” Consequently, as used herein“electrical circuitry” includes, but is not limited to, electricalcircuitry having at least one discrete electrical circuit, electricalcircuitry having at least one integrated circuit, electrical circuitryhaving at least one application specific integrated circuit, electricalcircuitry forming a general purpose computing device configured by acomputer program (e.g., a general purpose computer configured by acomputer program which at least partially carries out processes and/ordevices described herein, or a microprocessor configured by a computerprogram which at least partially carries out processes and/or devicesdescribed herein), electrical circuitry forming a memory device (e.g.,forms of memory (e.g., random access, flash, read only, etc.)), and/orelectrical circuitry forming a communications device (e.g., a modem,communications switch, optical-electrical equipment, etc.). Those havingskill in the art will recognize that the subject matter described hereinmay be implemented in an analog or digital fashion or some combinationthereof.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that at least a portion of thedevices and/or processes described herein can be integrated into a dataprocessing system. Those having skill in the art will recognize that adata processing system generally includes one or more of a system unithousing, a video display device, memory such as volatile or non-volatilememory, processors such as microprocessors or digital signal processors,computational entities such as operating systems, drivers, graphicaluser interfaces, and applications programs, one or more interactiondevices (e.g., a touch pad, a touch screen, an antenna, etc.), and/orcontrol systems including feedback loops and control motors (e.g.,feedback for sensing position and/or velocity; control motors for movingand/or adjusting components and/or quantities). A data processing systemmay be implemented utilizing suitable commercially available components,such as those typically found in data computing/communication and/ornetwork computing/communication systems.

For the purposes of this application, “cloud” computing may beunderstood as described in the cloud computing literature. For example,cloud computing may be methods and/or systems for the delivery ofcomputational capacity and/or storage capacity as a service. The “cloud”may refer to one or more hardware and/or software components thatdeliver or assist in the delivery of computational and/or storagecapacity, including, but not limited to, one or more of a client, anapplication, a platform, an infrastructure, and/or a server The cloudmay refer to any of the hardware and/or software associated with aclient, an application, a platform, an infrastructure, and/or a server.For example, cloud and cloud computing may refer to one or more of acomputer, a processor, a storage medium, a router, a switch, a modem, avirtual machine (e.g., a virtual server), a data center, an operatingsystem, a middleware, a firmware, a hardware back-end, a softwareback-end, and/or a software application. A cloud may refer to a privatecloud, a public cloud, a hybrid cloud, and/or a community cloud. A cloudmay be a shared pool of configurable computing resources, which may bepublic, private, semi-private, distributable, scaleable, flexible,temporary, virtual, and/or physical. A cloud or cloud service may bedelivered over one or more types of network, e.g., a mobilecommunication network, and the Internet.

As used in this application, a cloud or a cloud service may include oneor more of infrastructure-as-a-service (“IaaS”), platform-as-a-service(“PaaS”), software-as-a-service (“SaaS”), and/or desktop-as-a-service(“DaaS”). As a non-exclusive example, IaaS may include, e.g., one ormore virtual server instantiations that may start, stop, access, and/orconfigure virtual servers and/or storage centers (e.g., providing one ormore processors, storage space, and/or network resources on-demand,e.g., EMC and Rackspace). PaaS may include, e.g., one or more softwareand/or development tools hosted on an infrastructure (e.g., a computingplatform and/or a solution stack from which the client can createsoftware interfaces and applications, e.g., Microsoft Azure). SaaS mayinclude, e.g., software hosted by a service provider and accessible overa network (e.g., the software for the application and/or the dataassociated with that software application may be kept on the network,e.g., Google Apps, SalesForce). DaaS may include, e.g., providingdesktop, applications, data, and/or services for the user over a network(e.g., providing a multi-application framework, the applications in theframework, the data associated with the applications, and/or servicesrelated to the applications and/or the data over the network, e.g.,Citrix). The foregoing is intended to be exemplary of the types ofsystems and/or methods referred to in this application as “cloud” or“cloud computing” and should not be considered complete or exhaustive.

The proliferation of automation in many transactions is apparent. Forexample, Automated Teller Machines (“ATMs”) dispense money and receivedeposits. Airline ticket counter machines check passengers in, dispensetickets, and allow passengers to change or upgrade flights. Train andsubway ticket counter machines allow passengers to purchase a ticket toa particular destination without invoking a human interaction at all.Many groceries and pharmacies have self-service checkout machines whichallow a consumer to pay for goods purchased by interacting only with amachine. Large companies now staff telephone answering systems withmachines that interact with customers, and invoke a human in thetransaction only if there is a problem with the machine-facilitatedtransaction.

Nevertheless, as such automation increases, convenience andaccessibility may decrease. Self-checkout machines at grocery stores maybe difficult to operate. ATMs and ticket counter machines may be mostlyinaccessible to disabled persons or persons requiring special access.Where before, the interaction with a human would allow disabled personsto complete transactions with relative ease, if a disabled person isunable to push the buttons on an ATM, there is little the machine can doto facilitate the transaction to completion. While some of these publicterminals allow speech operations, they are configured to the mostgeneric forms of speech, which may be less useful in recognizingparticular speakers, thereby leading to frustration for users attemptingto speak to the machine. This problem may be especially challenging forthe disabled, who already may face significant challenges in completingtransactions with automated machines.

In addition, smartphones and tablet devices also now are configured toreceive speech commands. Speech and voice controlled automobile systemsnow appear regularly in motor vehicles, even in economical,mass-produced vehicles. Home entertainment devices, e.g., disc players,televisions, radios, stereos, and the like, may respond to speechcommands. Additionally, home security systems may respond to speechcommands. In an office setting, a worker's computer may respond tospeech from that worker, allowing faster, more efficient work flows.Such systems and machines may be trained to operate with particularusers, either through explicit training or through repeatedinteractions. Nevertheless, when that system is upgraded or replaced,e.g., a new television is purchased, that training may be lost with thedevice. Thus, in some embodiments described herein, adaptation data forspeech recognition systems may be separated from the device whichrecognizes the speech, and may be more closely associated with a user,e.g., through a device carried by the user, or through a networklocation associated with the user.

Further, in some environments, there may be more than one device thattransmits and receives data within a range of interacting with a user.For example, merely sitting on a couch watching television may involvefive or more devices, e.g., a television, a cable box, an audio/visualreceiver, a remote control, and a smartphone device. Some of thesedevices may transmit or receive speech data. Some of these devices maytransmit, receive, or store adaptation data, as will be described inmore detail herein. Thus, in some embodiments, which will be describedin more detail herein, there may be methods, systems, and devices fordetermining which devices in a system should perform actions that allowa user to efficiently interact with an intended device through thatuser's speech.

In the following detailed description, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part hereof In the drawings, similarsymbols typically identify similar components, unless context dictatesotherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in the detaileddescription, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Otherembodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here.

There are circumstances in which a person who uses mobile communicationor computing devices (smartphones or tablet computers, e.g.) mightbenefit from sharing the devices for a period (of an hour or more, e.g.)with one or more other people. Likewise there are circumstances in whichsuch devices may be used more effectively by operating them as virtualmobile devices (as guests on a physical device or in a cloud serviceimplementation, e.g.) or by using virtual identifiers (phone numbers,e.g.) that effectively correspond to a virtual party (of one or morehuman beings, e.g.) for an extended period (of up to a few years, e.g.).Although services like call forwarding or Google Voice provide deviceusers with various capabilities in conjunction with mobile phones, suchcapabilities do not adequately take into account the uniquecharacteristics of mobile devices or the needs and preferences of userswith only a limited access to them. Various device configurations andprotocols described herein address these shortcomings. In the interestof concision and according to standard usage in communicationtechnologies, such features are set forth in natural languageexpressions. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that suchexpressions (functions or acts recited in English, e.g.) adequatelydescribe structures identified below so that no undue experimentationwill be required for their implementation.

With reference now to FIG. 1, a system is shown in schematic formcomprising event-sequencing logic 100 (transistor-based circuitryincluding electrical node sets each having a voltage configuration thatmanifests an informational structure, e.g.). Event-sequencing logic 100includes one or more instances of dependent-to-independent conversionmodules 111, 112; of mobile numbers 120, 121, 122, 123, 124; ofdependent identifier recognition modules 131, 132, 133; of updatemodules 171, 172; of identifier assignment tables 150; or of other suchentities. In some variants, as described below, some or all of these may(optionally) reside in firmware 139. Alternatively or additionally, eachsuch instance of identifier assignment tables 150 may include severalinstances of columns 153, rows 154, ranges 158, or other groupings eachconfigured to map or otherwise associate zero or more dependentidentifiers 152 (each depicted as a white square and representing a useror party identifier, e.g.) with each independent identifier 151(depicted as a black square and representing a device identifier, e.g.).Various configurations of dependent identifier recognition module (DIRM)131-133 permit dependent identifiers 152 to be identified as such by anintrinsic property of the identifier. DIRM 131 determines that anidentifier (mobile number, e.g.) is independent only if its last threedigits form an integer evenly divisible by X, in which 1<X<10 (with X=2,deeming an identifier dependent if it is odd and independent if it iseven, e.g.). DIRM 132 determines that an identifier is independent if itcontains a digit equal to Y and otherwise determines that it isdependent (with Y being any digit 0 to 9). In some contexts, anintrinsic recognition protocol can comprise invoking two or more suchmodules, as further described below.

With reference now to FIG. 2, a system is shown in schematic formcomprising event-sequencing logic 200 (transistor-based circuitryincluding electrical node sets each having a voltage configuration thatmanifests an informational structure, e.g.). Event-sequencing logic 200includes one or more instances of groups 201, 202, 203, 204; ofcommunication recipient identifiers 205; of parameters 211, 212, 213,214; of alphanumeric attributes 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227; oflists 251, 252; of protocols 267, 268; or of determinants 271, 272, 273(a prerequisite 261 or exception 262, e.g.) as described below.

With reference now to FIG. 3, there is shown a high-level environmentdiagram depicting a system 300 in or across which one or more instancesof event-sequencing logic 100, 200 or components thereof may beinstantiated (in subsystems or mobile devices described below, e.g.) andin which one or more technologies may be implemented. In accordance with37 CFR 1.84(h)(2), FIG. 3 shows “a view of a large machine or device inits entirety . . . broken into partial views . . . extended over severalsheets” labeled FIGS. 3-A through 3-R (Sheets 3-20). The “views on twoor more sheets form, in effect, a single complete view, [and] the viewson the several sheets . . . [are] so arranged that the complete figurecan be assembled” from “partial views drawn on separate sheets . . .linked edge to edge,” in that (i) a “smaller scale view” is “includedshowing the whole formed by the partial views and indicating thepositions of the parts shown,” see 37 CFR 1.84(h)(2), and (ii) thepartial-view FIGS. 3-A to 3-R are ordered alphabetically, by increasingcolumn from left to right, as shown here:

FIG. 3-A FIG. 3-B FIG. 3-C FIG. 3-D FIG. 3-E FIG. 3-F FIG. 3-G FIG. 3-HFIG. 3-I FIG. 3-J FIG. 3-K FIG. 3-L FIG. 3-M FIG. 3-N FIG. 3-O FIG. 3-PFIG. 3-Q FIG. 3-R

Because FIG. 3 is a high-level environment diagram, some elements ofsystem 300 are expressed through the function they carry out. In suchcircumstances, these elements should be considered to include anycombination of one or more program, microprocessor configuration, statemachine, transistor-based event sequencing structure, firmware,field-programmable gate array (“FPGA”) configuration, applicationprogramming interface (“API”), function, class, data structure,dynamically loaded library (“DLL”), database (e.g., SQL database), orother such special-purpose modules implemented in a structure or methodeligible for patent protection under 35 U.S.C. §101.

With reference now to FIG. 3-B, there is shown a device reconfigurationservice provider 388 and a network maintenance service provider 389.

With reference now to FIG. 3-C, there is shown an integrated circuit(IC) chip 340 provided by a device component manufacturer 355. IC chip340 includes pads 335 distributed about a periphery of a dielectricsubstrate 307 upon which many transistors 351, 352 are configured toform several functional blocks (e.g. memories 336, 337 andspecial-purpose modules 338, 339 such as those described below). Suchintegrated circuitry 330 primarily comprises transistors 351, 352operably coupled by electrically conductive signal-bearing conduits 308.Informational data identified herein may easily be represented digitallyas a voltage configuration on (a “set” of one or more) electrical nodes341, 342, 343, 344 (voltage levels 331, 332, 333, 334 on respectiveconduits or pads 335, e.g.) of an event-sequencing structure (aninstance of transistor-based circuitry on integrated circuit 330, e.g.)without any undue experimentation.

With reference now to FIG. 3-D, there is shown a wireless communicationservice provider 360 including one or more instances mobile switchingcenter (MSC) resources. Such resources include one or more instances ofequipment identity registers (EIR) 361; home location registers (HLR)363; of visitor location registers (VLR) 364; or of virtual deviceidentifier recognition modules (VDIDRM) 365.

With reference now to FIG. 3-E, there is shown a base transceiverstation (BTS) 359 of network maintenance service provider 389 configuredto receive a wireless signal 397 from a party 302 (“Roger”) operating amobile communication device 322. As shown, party 302 is in a cell-onlyzone 315 bounded by zone boundary 310. Also BTS 359 is operably coupled(via linkages 496 represented as dashed lines comprising signal pathsthrough fiberoptic or free space or other passive transmission media andoptionally through one or more active devices, e.g.) with wirelesscommunication service provider 360 and device 322 as shown.

With reference now to FIG. 3-F, there is shown a mobile device 321having a camera 347 and display 345 held by another party 301 (prior tobeing reconfigured by device reconfiguration service provider 388,e.g.). While in wireless local area network (WLAN) zone 316, moreover,device 321 is able to communicate via more than one type of wirelesslinkage 496. While in cell 314, for example, device 321 may communicatevia BTS 359.

With reference now to FIG. 3-G, there is shown that wirelesscommunication service provider 360 may (optionally) include one or moreinstance of channel establishment subsystems (CES) 368 or of channeladaptation subsystems (CAS) 369.

With reference now to FIG. 3-H, there is shown an instance of a switch357 operated by an internet service provider 387.

With reference now to FIG. 3-I, an instance of an access point 356operated by hotspot provider 386 and operably coupled (via respectivelinkages 496) between device 345 and switch 357. While in WLAN zone 316,device 321 may communicate via an access point 356 operated by hotspotprovider 386. Within an overlap of cell 314 and WLAN zone 316, moreover,device 321 may communicate via either or both and may implement ahandover in either direction, as further described below.

FIG. 3-J also shows a representation of a network 390 comprising one ormore instances of switch 395. Network 390 is operably coupled withwireless communication service providers 360, 370 via one or morelinkages 496 as shown.

FIG. 3-K shows a representation of several additional resources ofnetwork 390 comprising one or more instances of public switched packetdata network (PSPDN) subsystems 396; of public switched telephonenetwork (PSTN) subsystems 398; or of communications satellites 399.

With reference now to FIG. 3-L, there is shown a representation ofanother wireless communication service provider 460 (having acontractual and operational relationship with provider 360 of FIG. 3-D,e.g.) including one or more instances mobile switching center (MSC)resources. Such resources include (one or more instances of) equipmentidentity registers (EIR) 461.

FIG. 3-M also shows an instance of a switch 457 maintained by aninternet service provider 487 and operably coupled via one or morecommunication linkages 496 (each comprising one or more fiberopticconduits or free space media, e.g.) with network 390 and an access point456 of hotspot provider 486 as shown.

FIG. 3-N shows a support service provider 425 operating one or moreinstances of virtual-to-real conversion modules 426 or authenticationcenters (AUC) 427 residing on one or more servers 428 (to which devicemanufacturer 485 may communicate attributes, apps, or other digitalcomponents as described herein, e.g.).

With reference now to FIG. 3-O, there is shown a representation of oneor more additional resources of provider 460: one or more instances ofhome location registers (HLR) 463; of visitor location registers (VLR)464; of virtual device identifier recognition modules (VDIDRM) 465; ofchannel establishment subsystems (CES) 468; or of channel adaptationsubsystems (CAS) 469.

With reference now to FIG. 3-P, there is shown a linkage 496 via whichaccess point 456 providing wireless service (Wi-Fi, e.g.) to a WLAN zone416 within cell 414. Hotspot provider 486 (a retailer, e.g.) may beoperably coupled with switch 457 and wirelessly operably coupled with adevice that has entered WLAN zone 416 (by crossing zone boundary 410from cell-only zone 415, e.g.) via linkages 496 as shown.

With reference now to FIG. 3-Q, there is shown a mobile communicationdevice 440 (smartphone or tablet computer, e.g.) having firmware 439 andinitially associated with an independent identifier 151 (e.g. a “real”mobile number of “206-555-2460”). As described below, device 440 islater configured to be shared among a plurality of parties 401, 402, 403(“Susan” and “Nancy” and “Carol”) by respectively assigning dependentidentifiers 152 (e.g. “virtual” mobile numbers of “206-555-2461” and“206-555-2462” and “206-555-2463”). As described below, each suchidentifier has one or more recognizable intrinsic attributes 221-227 sothat a dependent identifier 152 (recognizable as such by a virtualdevice identifier recognition module 365, e.g.) need not be listed in ahome location register 363 or visitor location register 364. In lieu ofsuch listings, an identifier (provided in a phone call initiated fromdevice 321, e.g.) that is “likely enough” to be virtual (about 5% likelyor more, e.g.) may (optionally) be configured to trigger VDIDR module365 to initiate an investigation protocol (by invoking one or moreinstances of virtual-to-real conversion modules 426 or authenticationcenters 427 or similar resources, e.g.) effective to determine whether acorresponding physical destination (server 428 or device 440, e.g.) canbe found (e.g. before reporting back to device 321 a mere fact that theidentifier is “unlisted”). In some contexts, for example, suchimplementations may be facilitated by firmware 439 of device 440 and asoftware configuration of server 428 (both having been provided bydevice manufacturer 485, e.g.).

With reference now to FIG. 3-R, there is shown a base transceiverstation (BTS) 459 of network service provider 489 configured to transmita wireless signal 497 to device 440 or to one or more parties 401, 402,403 as described below.

With reference now to FIG. 4, a system is shown in schematic formcomprising a handheld or other device 400 instantiated as one or moremobile devices 321, 440 depicted in FIG. 3. Event-sequencing logic(transistor-based circuitry including electrical node sets each having avoltage configuration that manifests an informational structure, e.g.)therein may include one or more instances of subscriber identity modules472, frequency hopping modules 473, transmit/receive modules 474,channel management modules 475, signal processing modules 476, userinterfaces 477, encoders 478, or decoders 479.

With reference now to FIG. 5, a system is shown in schematic formcomprising event-sequencing logic 500 (transistor-based circuitryincluding electrical node sets each having a voltage configuration thatmanifests an informational structure, e.g.). Event-sequencing logic 500may include one or more instances of communications 531, 532, 533, 534,535; of protocols 541, 542, 543, 544, 545, 546; of user directories 561,562; of digitally encoded sounds 571, 572, 573; of time periods 575; oftransistor-based processors 580; or of modules 581, 582, 583, 584. Eachsuch communication may include, for example, one or more instances ofcalls 521, of texts 522, or of other content 523 comprising aunidirectional communication (a broadcast, e.g.) or bidirectionalcommunication (a teleconference among two or more instances of device400, e.g.). One or more instances of event-sequencing logic 500 may beimplemented, for example, in network 390 or in device 440.

With reference now to FIG. 6, a system is shown in schematic formcomprising one or more tangible data-handling media 600 (node sets eachhaving a magnetic or voltage configuration that manifests aninformational structure, e.g.). Medium 600 (comprising a memory orstorage medium, e.g.) may include one or more instances of tables 641,642 that each map one or more rows 660 of response protocols 635 (eachcomprising a pointer or other operational parameter relating to softwareexecutable by one or more processors 580, e.g.) to two or morecontext-dependent default response protocols 601, 602, 603, 604, 605 and(optionally) to two or more context-dependent response protocols 611,612, 613, 614, 615 associated with a single party identifier 610 (in amany-to-one association by virtue of being in the same row 661 or otherrecord, e.g.). Likewise as shown in row 662, party identifier 620corresponds to one or more response protocols 621, 622, 623, 624, 625(e.g. suitable in one or more respective contexts 651, 652, 653, 654,655) and party identifier 630 corresponds to one or more responseprotocols 631, 632, 633, 634, 635 depending upon context as describedbelow. Medium 600 may likewise include one or more instances ofdigitally expressed periods 661, 662. Medium 600 may likewise includeone or more instances of datastructures 680 (content suitable forrouting as a wireless signal 497, e.g.) that map zero or moreaccount-specific headers 671 (identifying a single party 403, e.g.) to anetwork routing tag 672 (e.g. an independent identifier 151 listed invisitor location register 364 or home location register 463, e.g.)associated with a series of data items 681, 682, 683 (e.g. user data).One or more instances of such media 600 may be implemented, for example,in mobile device 440 or in a server 428 accessible to device 440.

With reference now to FIG. 7, a system is shown in schematic formcomprising event-sequencing logic 700 (transistor-based circuitryincluding electrical node sets each having a voltage configuration thatmanifests an informational structure, e.g.). Event-sequencing logic 700may include one or more instances of modes 701, 702, 703, 704, 705, 706,707, 708 (arranged in a list 710, e.g.); of protocols 711, 712, 713,714, 715, 716, 717, 718; of registries 721, 722; of user interfaces 741,742; of selection modules 751, 752, 753, 754; or of recognition modules771, 772, 773, 774. For example, such components of event-sequencinglogic 700 may each comprise a pointer or other operational parameterproviding access to or otherwise triggering a selective execution ofsoftware executable by one or more processors 580, e.g.). One or moreinstances of event-sequencing logic 700 may be implemented, for example,in a mobile device 322, 440 configured to receive or responsivelyparticipate in one or more communications 531-535 as described below.

In some contexts, as further described below, one or more such modes maycomprise conditional response protocols like those of FIG. 6. When anincoming signal (comprising one or more communications 531-535, e.g.)has a signal source identification tag (a caller identification fielddefining which of two or more contexts 651-654 will apply, e.g.) and asignal target identification tag (account-specific header 671 definingone or more party identifiers 610, 620, 630 specify a suitablerecipient, e.g.) at mobile device 440, for example, one or morerecognition protocols 772 may use both of these tags as co-determinantsfor selecting among several response protocols 611-613, 631-633. In somecontexts, for example, only some of the contingently-invoked responseprotocols include an audible component (sound 573, e.g.).

With reference now to FIG. 8, a system is shown in schematic formcomprising event-sequencing logic 800 (transistor-based circuitryincluding electrical node sets each having a voltage configuration thatmanifests an informational structure, e.g.). Event-sequencing logic 800may include one or more instances of messages 821, 822 or otherautomatic and conditional responses 811, 812, 813; of values 835 orother features of apps 831, 832, 833; or of installable devicecomponents 861, 862, 863 (a smartcard 851 or downloadable app 852,e.g.). One or more instances of event-sequencing logic 800 may beimplemented, for example, in a mobile device 322, 440 configured toreceive or responsively participate in one or more communications531-535 as described below.

With reference now to FIG. 9, a system is shown in schematic formcomprising event-sequencing logic 900 (transistor-based or otherintegrated circuitry 330 including electrical node sets each having avoltage configuration that manifests an informational structure, e.g.).Event-sequencing logic 900 may include one or more instances of signalprocessing modules 958 (including one or more instances of an antenna956 configured to receive a wireless signal 397, 497, e.g.); ofcharacterization modules 965 (including one or more cameras 961,microphones 962, or other sensors 963, e.g.); or of presentation modules970 (including one or more speakers 971 or displays 972, e.g.). One ormore instances of event-sequencing logic 900 may be configured tointeract with one or more parties 401, 402 in a vicinity (of effectiveoptical or auditory detection, e.g.) of device 440.

With reference now to FIG. 10, a system is shown in schematic formcomprising event-sequencing logic 1000 (transistor-based circuitryincluding electrical node sets each having a voltage configuration thatmanifests an informational structure, e.g.). Event-sequencing logic 1000may include one or more instances of accounts 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004; ofmedia items 1011, 1012; of statements 1021, 1022; of indications 1041,1042, 1043, 1044, 1045, 1046, 1047, 1048, 1049; of subsets 1051, 1052(comprising a list 1055, e.g.) or of authorization codes 1057, 1058. Oneor more instances of event-sequencing logic 1000 may be implemented, forexample, in network 390 or in device 440.

One or more dependent-to-independent conversion modules (DICM) 111, 112may be applied for identifying a single independent identifier 151corresponding to any given dependent identifier 152. In some contextsthis can be implemented without any expansion of existing equipmentidentity registers 361, 461; home location registers 363, 463; orvisitor location registers 364, 464. In some variants, for example, DICM111 may implement such conversion simply by rounding down or byselecting the next-lower network routing tag (comprises a real mobilenumber 120 or similar independent identifier 151, e.g.) listed in HLR363 or VLR 364 (e.g. by selecting “206-555-2460” as the highest listedvalue not exceeding “206-555-2461”). This can occur, for example, in acontext in which support service provider 425 assigns a block of virtualnumbers (a range 158 of several, e.g.) in association with a givenindependent identifier 151 (in the same row 154, e.g.).

In association with a network 390 that facilitates wireless and otherinterpersonal communications, support service provider 425 establishesmultiple dependent identifiers 152 (hundreds or thousands, e.g.) intoone or more groups 201, 202, 203. The identifiers within each group(range 158, e.g.) have one or more shared intrinsic attributes 221, 222,223, 224, 225, 226. (Each such attribute is “shared” in that itdescribes a group of two or more such identifiers and “intrinsic” inthat determining whether an identifier has the attribute does notrequire access to any central directory or other extrinsic source.) Eachsuch dependent identifier corresponds to a virtual entity (device orparty, e.g.) suitable for receiving or responding to communications.Support service provider 425 broadcasts one or more such attributes221-226 (whichever ones are in effect, e.g.) so that other communicationservice or product providers can distinguish identifiers (of acommunication initiator or recipient, e.g.) that satisfy an attributefrom those that do not. One or more dependent identifiers 152(alphanumeric sequences or other digital values in a dependentidentifier range 158 of several consecutive values, e.g.) have attribute221 if and only if the last five digits of each form a number that fallsbetween 24400 and 25999. Likewise one or more dependent identifiers 152have attribute 222 if and only if none of the characters thereof(letters or digits, e.g.) is in a predefined “disqualifying expression”list 251 (e.g. a “5” or “9”). Likewise one or more dependent identifiers152 have attribute 223 if and only if the last three digits form anumber not evenly divisible by N (with N being an integer greater than 1and less than 9 and the 3-digit number having a nonzero remainder whendivided by N, e.g.). Likewise one or more dependent identifiers 152 haveattribute 224 if and only if the last two digit-pairs in a numericalportion of the identifier can be multiplied together to form a productbetween A and B (with 44<A<444 and 444<B<4444, e.g.). This can occur,for example, in a context in which one or more such intrinsic attributes221-226 (or combinations thereof) can be used as determinants 271-273(each defining a prerequisite 261 or exception 262, e.g.) of a readilydisseminated protocol 267 that is effective for determining whetherthere is any substantial likelihood (a likelihood of about 1% or more,e.g.) that a communication recipient identifier 205 (a mobile number orother unique address, e.g.) is actually a dependent identifier 152(virtual device identifier, e.g.); in which a negative determinationeffectively establishes that the communication recipient identifier 205is actually not a dependent identifier 152; in which such adetermination would otherwise require protocol 267 to include consultingan extrinsic source (a central lookup table residing on a server 428 ata central facility maintained by support service provider 425, e.g.) forevery communication routed through network 390; and in which a largemajority of such communications require no such consultations by virtueof protocol 267 being implemented in a local instance (within a serveror mobile device along a primary channel between or among participantsto a communication, e.g.). In some contexts, moreover, an app 831implementing protocol 267 will maintain a local value 835 indicative ofwhen it was installed or first invoked and will automaticallyreconfigure itself after an expiration of a set period (of X days with4<X<444, e.g.) by retrieving one or more new parameters 211, 212, 213,214 (new values for one or more A or B or N or X, e.g.) or a replacementprotocol 268 (implemented in an app 832 from server 426, e.g.).

A party 401 (“Susan”) buys a new mobile device 440 to share with one ormore other parties 402, 403 (“Nancy” and “Carol”) who work or live in acommon facility (business or residence, e.g.). As configured by an OEM(device manufacturer 485, e.g.), mobile device 440 initially contains aparty identifier list 650 and a contingent default protocol 711.Contingent default protocol 611 effectively designates (in row 660,e.g.) two or more response protocols 601, 602 each of which is onlyinvoked for an incoming communication 531 (comprising call 521 or text522 or other content 523, e.g.) that does not include any particularparty identifier 610, 620, 630 (a recognized entity to whom thecommunication is targeted, e.g.). In that state, device-executablefirmware 439 within device 440 responds to incoming communications in amanner that is outwardly conventional (by causing a speaker aboarddevice 440 to sound a “traditional ring” sound 571 in a context 651 ofan incoming phone call 521 or to sound a “simple chime” sound 572 in acontext 652 of an incoming text 522, e.g.).

Susan configures shared mobile device 440 for a purpose of having fewerdevices than device users in her household. Mobile device 440 isidentified by a network routing tag 672 (e.g. a phone number of“206-555-2460”) by which Susan may receive a communication 531 (a call521 or text 522 comprising a wireless signal 497 that includes thatnetwork routing tag 672, e.g.) conventionally. Alternatively oradditionally, wireless signal 497 may include one or moreaccount-specific headers 371 each associated with one or more user dataitems 681, 682, 683 as described herein. In a context in which anincoming communication is targeted to less than all users of device 440,for example, account-specific header 371 may be a digital valueindicating a particular individual (a virtual cell phone number of“206-555-2461” belonging to Susan, e.g.) or a particular group 204 ofindividuals (a virtual cell phone number of “206-555-2465” shared amongseveral, e.g.).

Soon after purchase, Susan reconfigures device 440 to identify herself(using party identifier 610, e.g.) in association with severalcontingent response protocols 611-615 that she prefers, respectivelycorresponding to a recognized context 651-655 (each symbolized as acolumn, e.g.). In response to a context 653 of an anonymous incomingcommunication 531, for example—one that does not identify anyinitiator/sender—she expresses her selection of a response protocol 613of passive response—sending a call 521 directly to voice mail orlikewise silently receiving other instances of such incomingcommunications 531. This can occur, for example, in a context in which arange of virtual mobile numbers 121-124 (e.g. “206-555-2461” et seq.)are each used for identifying a respective party 401, 402, 403 and inwhich such virtual mobile numbers all correspond to a single real mobilenumber 120 (e.g. “206-555-2460”) that uniquely identifies mobile device440.

In a first network configuration, wireless communication serviceprovider 360 does not include a virtual device identifier recognitionmodule 365. Rather, the “virtual” identifiers associated with mobiledevice 440 are implemented as real phone lines associated with server428. When party 302 (“Roger”) initiates a communication (via wirelesscommunication service provider 360) by dialing a mobile number of“206-555-2462,” that communication is routed to support service provider425. VRC module 426 completes the call by establishing a new channel(from server 428 and via BTS 459, e.g.) to device 440 and extending theincoming communication from party 302 along that new channel to device440.

In a second network configuration, wireless communication serviceprovider 360 includes a virtual device identifier recognition module365. The “virtual” identifiers associated with mobile device 440 areimplemented in a lookup table resident in VRC module 426 (resident inserver 428 or network 390, e.g.). When party 302 (“Roger”) initiates acommunication (by dialing a mobile number of “206-555-2462,” e.g.) thatcommunication is redirected to the corresponding “real” destinationidentifier (an independent identifier 151 implemented as a “real” mobilenumber of “206-555-2460,” e.g.).

With either of these network configurations, a wireless signal 497arriving at mobile device 440 includes information similar to that ofdatastructure 680, including a network routing tag (“206-555-2460,”e.g.) by which device 440 has been identified and either with anaccount-specific header (e.g. comprising one or more specific partyidentifiers 610, 620, 630) that identifies a person or as arecipient-nonspecific incoming call (signaling one or more responseprotocols 601-605 along row 660, e.g.). This provides device 440 withinformation about which of two or more parties 401, 402, 403 is intendedto receive the communication.

Firmware 439 includes one or more features configured to facilitatesharing mobile device 440 among two or more parties 401, 402, 403. Twoof the parties 401, 402 who use device 440 may be logged onto device 440concurrently, even in a context in which only one is actively usingdevice 440. A first communication 531 (content 523 resulting fromreal-time input from a party 301 using device 321, e.g.) comprises awireless signal 497 that includes real mobile number 120. A recipientrecognition module 771 (within an incoming communication processingmodule 581 aboard mobile device 440) determines that no party indicationtag is present among the components (in datastructure 680, e.g.) of thecommunication 531 and therefor applies one or more default responseprotocols 601-605 (effectively routing the communication 531 to a“default” user, e.g.).

Initially a communication that arrives at mobile device 440 withoutidentifying any parties 401, 402 who are currently logged in immediatelytriggers a response protocol 604 by which module 583 sends a “norecipient available” response message to the device 321 via which thecommunication originated. As a result of no default user beingdesignated (or of a currently-designated default user being offline),therefore, the first communication 531—having a datastructure lackingany party indication tag—invokes the module 583 that implements responseprotocol 604.

A second communication 532 later arrives at mobile device 440 with areal mobile number 120 that uniquely identifies mobile device 440, butthis time comprising a wireless signal 497 having a party identificationtag (e.g. an occurrence of “63”) that specifically identifies party 403(“Carol”), who is still not logged onto mobile device 440. As a resultof party 403 still being offline, the second communication 532 invokes aresponse protocol 542 by which module 582 sends a party-specificresponse message (e.g. “Carol is not available” sent as a real-timeresponse to party 302) to the device 322 that originated the secondcommunication 532.

At least one independent identifier 151 (e.g. a real mobile number 120)and at least one dependent identifier 152 (e.g. one or more virtualmobile numbers 121-124 corresponding to real mobile number 120) arecommonly assigned to mobile device 440 indefinitely or for a fixedperiod 575 (of a week or more, e.g.) by installing a component 861(smartcard 851 or app 852, e.g.) associated with at least one virtualmobile number 122, 123 (in a one-to-one or one-to-many association,e.g.) into a mobile device uniquely associated with at least one realidentifier (e.g. a real mobile number 120 or other independentidentifier 151). Susan configures an on-board user directory 561 so thateach of two or more parties 401, 402, 403 who use device 440 correspondswith a single respective one of the available dependent identifiers 152and with a corresponding list 710 of operating modes (e.g. defined by acorresponding row 661, 662, 663 of response protocols). Each instance ofsuch lists 710 includes one or more selectively configurable operatingmodes (response protocols 635, e.g.) as described below.

By one or more such techniques, an invocation of firmware 430 causesmobile device 440 to switch between a general purpose operating mode 703(appropriate when a privileged party 401 is identified as a primarycurrent user, e.g.) and a limited purpose operating mode 707(appropriate when privileged party 401 is not in possession of mobiledevice 440, e.g.). Device 440 is configured to be updated by a primaryuser (party 401) so as to provide a comprehensive registry 721 ofcurrent users of device 440. This can occur, for example, in a contextin which a virtual mobile number 124 is exclusively associated with amobile device 440; in which the primary user previously associated thevirtual mobile number 124 with a specific party; in which the primaryuser later configured comprehensive registry 721 to dissociate thevirtual mobile number 124 from the specific party; in which suchmodifications to comprehensive registry 721 are implemented locally(within device 440, e.g.); and in which subsequent communicationsdirected to the virtual mobile number 124 would otherwise be mishandled(handled according to one or more generic response modes 704, 705 not inaccord with preferences of the primary user, e.g.).

Initially all charges incurred by mobile device 440 (for usage orotherwise as authorized by Susan, e.g.) are assigned to an account 1001(expressed in minutes or dollars or other digital units, e.g.)associated with a particular user (Susan, e.g.). Mobile device 440 isconfigured to limit charges to account 1001 by using WLAN within thefacility partly based upon being in operating mode 707 and partly basedon being in overlap zone 376.

As a privileged party 401, Susan may selectively disable a particularoperating mode 706 (establishing communications from device 440 viaaccess point 350, e.g.) whenever another party 402 (specified by Susan)is using device 440 (to trigger enhanced record-keeping of suchcommunications, e.g.).

One or more incoming communications that include a party identifier 620(an account-specific header 671 that corresponds specifically to Carol,e.g.) may invoke a special-purpose incoming context differentiationmodule 584 that operates in one mode 624 (sounding Carol's ring, e.g.)if Carol is apparently present and in another mode 625 (permitting avoice or text message to be passed to Carol silently, e.g.) otherwise.This can occur, for example, in an implementation in which Carol hasconfigured several such response protocols 621-625; in which module 584includes a camera 961 operably coupled to a face recognition module or amicrophone 962 operably coupled to a voice recognition module; and inwhich Carol has expressed a preference for such contingently-audiblenotifications. Alternatively or additionally, such conspicuous responsesmay depend upon one or more of (1) whether another party is apparentlypresent; (2) whether a particular device 321 or other entity (party 301,e.g.) apparently initiated the communication; or (3) other suchcommunication provenance data or other determinants described herein.

A user directory 561 aboard mobile device 440 is configured by aprotocol 543 that disassociates a secondary user (party 402, e.g.) froma virtual identifier (mobile number 124, e.g.) with which she waspreviously associated. Selection module 753 implements a protocol fordetermining which of the two or more parties 401, 402, 403 are intendedto receive an incoming communication (coming into device 440, e.g.).Protocol 543 results in a device-specific party-nonspecific failuremessage 821 (a notification resident in firmware 439 that “this virtualnumber is associated with a private entity but is not currentlyassigned,” e.g.) being sent as a real-time response 812 to a subsequentincoming communication 534 unless an additional protocol 544 associatinga virtual identifier (e.g. “206-555-2462”) with a device-specificparty-specific failure message 822 (“Nancy is not currently acceptingcommunications at this number or address,” e.g.) has been implemented.

In another scenario, a mobile device 322 (implementing device 400 ofFIG. 4, e.g.) acquired by another party 302 (“Roger”) is retrofitted (byRoger or a device reconfiguration service provider 388, e.g.) with ajailbreak or other rooting protocol 718 that includes installing asubstitute subscriber identity module (SIM) 472 or other components 862to facilitate device virtualization or device sharing as describedherein. Such a substitute SIM 472 may include a recipient indicatorselection module 751 or may include an authorization code 1057configured to cause update module 171 to download recipient indicatorselection module 751 (from a server 428 remote from mobile device 322,e.g.). As a result of such configuration, mobile device 322 thereafterincludes an incoming wireless signal processing protocol 716 and one ormore other mobile device protocols 717 as described herein forfacilitating mobile device sharing (of device 322 among several users,e.g.) as variously described herein. This permits one or more processorsaboard shared mobile device 322 to respond to a recipient-selectiveincoming wireless signal 497 intelligently as described herein.

In some variants account-specific header 371 may be a local identifierof several bits (a 3-bit binary value of “001” or an 8-bit binary valueof “01111101”, e.g.) that uniquely identifies Roger locally within acontext of device 322 (but not in network 390, e.g.). This permitsmobile device 322 to behave responsively to which of several user sets(numbered 0 to 63, e.g.) are active (logged in or recently having useddevice 322, e.g.) or indicated (by a communication or user configurationprotocol 719, e.g.). In a context in which a user designates a subset1051 of users (by providing a list 1055 that identifies users “001” and“003” but not others, e.g.), for example, a single device-detectableuser configuration input indication 1042 (key press or utterance, e.g.)may cause an app 833 or media item 1011 (audio recording, e.g.) to beacquired (installed, e.g.) and thereby made selectively accessible forthe user-designated subset 1051 of users but not for any other user ofdevice 322. Likewise an interpersonal communication 701 directed to aparticular user (e.g. a text 522 to Roger's virtual cell phone number)may include one or more items 681 of interpersonal message content 523as well as one or more items 682 of protocol selection content 523 (aparameter directing device 322 not to manifest the communication 701 inthe presence of any users other than the recipient identified byaccount-specific header, e.g.). Alternatively or additionally one ormore such items 682 may identify the device user (party 402, e.g.) whoinitiated the communication 701.

In another context, an indicator selection module 752 aboard device 322implements a tag recognition protocol 715 by causing mobile device 322to present a visible or audible recipient indication 1041 (one or moreof displayed text or a voice saying “call for Roger” via a speaker 971or display 972 of device 322 e.g.) selected partly based on the one ormore party indication tags (an account-specific header 371 of “1” or“61,” e.g.) from among several such indications 1043-1045 that reside inthe mobile device.

In some variants of event sequencing described herein, Roger configuresshared mobile device 322 so as to accommodate a guest user temporarily(Larry receiving or sending messages via device 322 for a time period661 specified by Roger of less than a month, e.g.) or so as to monitoror control a guest user access (preventing Larry from accessing one ormore protocols 712, 713 or data items resident on device 322 andaccessible to Roger, e.g.).

In some contexts, for example, protocol 713 may enable device 322 toaccess WLAN service (via an access point within a shared residence,e.g.) that not all users registered to device 322 can invoke. That way,for example, a more-privileged user (Roger, e.g.) can send or receivemessages from WLAN-only zone 374 (a cellar, e.g.) within which at leastone registered user (Larry, e.g.) cannot. In some contexts, such otherusers may need to bring mobile device 322 to a cell-only zone 315 (abalcony within an effective range of a cell tower, e.g.) to send orreceive interpersonal communication. In other contexts, Roger mayselectively disable other users' outgoing communications via device 322or may selectively permit one or more other registered users to accessincoming communications via device 322 only after reviewing one or moreuser data items 681-683 associated with the incoming wireless signal397. In some contexts a more-privileged user (an owner of an account1002 associated with device 322, e.g.) can likewise control access toother cost-determinant resources. Such resources may, for example,include (1) a metered data download protocol 714 charged to account 1002or (2) authorization for a charge to account 1002 at least partly basedon an affiliation-dependent mobile device (device 440, e.g.) using acellular linkage in lieu of a WLAN linkage. (As used herein, a device is“affiliation dependent” if and only if it is at least one of anunsubscribed mobile device or a formerly-subscribed mobile device or aformerly-charged mobile device.)

In an instance of event-sequencing logic 900 implementing a mobiledevice 322, 440 described above, signal processing module 958 receives awireless signal 397, 497 (via antenna 956, e.g.) including a networkrouting tag 672 (a phone number 120 identifying the recipient mobiledevice, e.g.) and one or more account-specific headers 671 (designatingone or more parties 302, 402 intended to receive user data, e.g.). Theuser data may include one or more voice data items 681, graphic imagedata items 682, or other such message content 523.

One or more selection modules 754 selects a specific-party recipientindication 1047 (a ring tone unique to a caller/recipient pairing, e.g.)from among two or more such indications 1047-1049 according to aregistry 722 that contains a record of (a) which parties are known todevice 440 and (b) which of those parties are logged into device 440 and(c) which of those parties are apparently present within a detectionzone of a camera 961, microphone 962, or other sensor 963. For anincoming communication designating either party 402 (Nancy) or party 403(Carol), for example, selection modules 754 selects arecipient-party-specific indication (of a sound 573 or text, such as avoice or display message saying “call for Carol” via a presentationmodule 970 of device 440, e.g.) as a conditional response to either (1)Nancy being offline and Carol being online or (2) Nancy being apparentlyabsent and Carol being apparently present within a detection range (lineof sight, e.g.) of characterization module 965. This can occur, forexample, in a context in which such party designations take the form ofnumerical tags (“62” & “63,” e.g.) interpreted by a tag recognitionprotocol 546 (recognizing a call for Susan if a last digit is “1” forNancy if a last digit is “2” or for Carol if last digit is “3,” e.g.).

A communication is initiated by a user input component (a keypad ormicrophone 962, e.g.) obtaining (from party 302 using device 322, e.g.)an identifier of a first recipient device user (“Carol” or“206-555-2463,” e.g.). A determination is made whether the identifier isaliased. If the determination is positive, analiasing-determination-dependent tag is offset from the identifier ofthe first recipient device user according to a conversion function (byarithmetic transfer function like “subtracting 3” or by a lookup table,e.g.). If the determination is negative, thealiasing-determination-dependent tag is obtained by assigning anidentifier of a first recipient device user as thealiasing-determination-dependent tag (“206-555-2460,” e.g.). Thecommunication is established by invoking transistor-based circuitryconfigured to cause a PSTN selectively to route a message that uniquelyidentifies the first recipient device user (Carol) to a shared mobiledevice 440 identified by the aliasing-determination-dependent tag.

In some contexts, Roger (party 302) may implement one or more privacyprotocols 712 when directing a communication 535 via a virtualidentifier (e.g. calling Carol at “206-555-2463”), such as in a contextin which he is concerned that a digital sequence that identifies himwill be filtered automatically or manually intercepted (by a hostileparty, e.g.). In light of teachings herein, such a protocols may beimplemented in various ways. Privacy protocol 712 may (optionally)include, for example, transmitting a false natural language statement1021 (a statement from Roger like “this is Larry and I urgently need totalk to Nancy” in text or audio format, e.g.) or another indication 1046misidentifying a user who initiates the communication as another entity.

Alternatively or additionally, a portion of communication 535 (one ormore data items 681-683, e.g.) of may be encrypted in a way thateffectively prevents an unintended recipient from accessing thatportion. In a context in which communication 535 arrives when anintended recipient (party 403 designated by an account-specific header,e.g.) is not logged onto device 440 and another party 401, for example,that portion may be shown as encrypted or hidden entirely. At a latertime at which party 403 enters a private key or personal biometric bywhich she is authenticated (identified by an account-specific header671, e.g.), that portion is extracted (decrypted using the private key,e.g.) and presented at device 440. Alternatively or additionally, suchencryption and decryption for a substantial communication (video call orextended telephone call, e.g.) may be contingent upon two or moreparties 302, 403 to the communication using a mobile device 440 that iseither currently charging or adequately charged (above a presetthreshold that corresponds to a charging state of more than 10%, e.g.).

Several variants described herein refer to device-detectable“implementations” such as one or more instances of computer-readablecode, transistor or latch connectivity layouts or other geometricexpressions of logical elements, firmware or software expressions oftransfer functions implementing computational specifications, digitalexpressions of truth tables, or the like. Such instances can, in someimplementations, include source code or other human-readable portions.Alternatively or additionally, functions of implementations describedherein may constitute one or more device-detectable outputs such asdecisions, manifestations, side effects, results, coding or otherexpressions, displayable images, data files, data associations,statistical correlations, streaming signals, intensity levels,frequencies or other measurable attributes, packets or other encodedexpressions, or the like from invoking or monitoring the implementationas described herein.

In some embodiments, a “state” of a component may comprise “available”or some other such state-descriptive labels, an event count or othersuch memory values, a partial depletion or other such physical propertyof a supply device, a voltage, or any other such conditions orattributes that may change between two or more possible valuesirrespective of device location. Such states may be received directly asa measurement or other detection, in some variants, and/or may beinferred from a component's behavior over time. A distributed or othercomposite system may comprise vector-valued device states, moreover,which may affect dispensations or departures in various ways asexemplified herein.

“After,” “automatic,” “among,” “anonymous,” “apparently,” “as,”“arranged,” “associated,” “audible,” “caused,” “between,”“bidirectional,” “common,” “component,” “conditional,” “configured,”“constructed,” “coupled,” “defined,” “detectable,” “determined,”“executable,” “executed,” “free,” “from,” “effective,” “handheld,”“indirect,” “informational,” “in a vicinity,” “local,” “later,”“mobile,” “more,” “implemented,” “in association with,” “integrated,”“interpersonal,” “only,” “operable,” “portable,” “single,” “particular,”“nominal,” “within,” “passive,” “partly based,” “previously,”“proactively,” “programmatic,” “received,” “remote,” “responsive,”“signal-bearing,” “switched,” “resident,” “selective,” “shared,”“specific,” “special-purpose,” “stationary,” “temporary,” “matching,”“significant,” “semi-permanent,” “transitory,” “transmitted,” “virtual,”“visible,” “wireless,” or other such descriptors herein are used intheir normal yes-or-no sense, not as terms of degree, unless contextdictates otherwise. In light of the present disclosure those skilled inthe art will understand from context what is meant by “vicinity,” bybeing “in” a region or “within” a range, by “remote,” and by other suchpositional descriptors used herein. Terms like “processor,” “center,”“unit,” “computer,” or other such descriptors herein are used in theirnormal sense, in reference to an inanimate structure. Such terms do notinclude any people, irrespective of their location or employment orother association with the thing described, unless context dictatesotherwise. As used herein, the term “tangible medium” does notdefinitionally encompass mere transitory propagating signals. “For” isnot used to articulate a mere intended purpose in phrases like“circuitry for” or “instruction for,” moreover, but is used normally, indescriptively identifying special purpose software or structures.

In some embodiments a “manual” occurrence includes, but is not limitedto, one that results from one or more actions consciously taken by adevice user in real time. Conversely an “automatic” occurrence is notaffected by any action consciously taken by a device user in real timeexcept where context dictates otherwise.

In some embodiments, “signaling” something can include identifying,contacting, requesting, selecting, or indicating the thing. In somecases a signaled thing is susceptible to fewer than all of theseaspects, of course, such as a task definition that cannot be“contacted.”

In some embodiments, “causing” events can include triggering, producingor otherwise directly or indirectly bringing the events to pass. Thiscan include causing the events remotely, concurrently, partially, orotherwise as a “cause in fact,” whether or not a more immediate causealso exists.

As used herein, a static value (phone number or other entity identifier,e.g.) cannot be “derived from” another static value if both are thesame. Likewise a component that merely relays an input signal as anoutput signal does not “derive” the output signal. In light of teachingsherein, however, numerous existing techniques may be applied forconfiguring special-purpose circuitry or other structures effective forimplementing a time-varying or other quantitative modulations asdescribed herein without undue experimentation. See, e.g., structuralcomponents to which the enclosed Information Disclosure Statement (inform 1449A/PTO or substitute filed herewith as another component of theinstant application) refers, several of which publications describerecord retrieval and other entity associations in detail.

Some descriptions herein refer to an “indication whether” an event hasoccurred. An indication is “positive” if it indicates that the event hasoccurred, irrespective of its numerical sign or lack thereof. Whetherpositive or negative, such indications may be weak (i.e. slightlyprobative), definitive, or many levels in between. In some cases the“indication” may include a portion that is indeterminate, such as anirrelevant portion of a useful photograph.

Some descriptions herein refer to a “device” or other physical article.A physical “article” described herein may be a long fiber, a transistor351, a submarine, or any other such contiguous physical object. An“article” may likewise be a portion of a device as described herein(part of a memory 336 or a speaker 971 of a smartphone, e.g.) or amechanically coupled grouping of devices (a tablet computer with aremovable memory and earpiece attached, e.g.) as described herein,except where context dictates otherwise. A communication “linkage” mayrefer to a unidirectional or bidirectional signal path via one or morearticles (antennas 956 or other signal-bearing conduit, e.g.) exceptwhere context dictates otherwise. Such linkages may, in some contexts,pass through a free space medium 391 or a network 390.

Referring now to FIG. 11, a system is shown comprising one or moretangible data-handling media 1100 bearing one or more instances of code1110; of identifiers 1121, 1122, 1123, 1124; of voltages 1131, 1132,1133, 1134; of determinations 1151, 1152, 1153, 1154, 1155, 1156, 1157,1158, 1159; or other such metrics. Such informational data may bemanifested on a node set (e.g. of one or more nodes 341-344) of anintegrated circuit 333, for example, as a configuration of one or morerespective voltage levels 331-334. See FIGS. 3C and 17-20 (depictinguseful node sets). Likewise each node set may comprise media 1100 inwhich other kinds of indicia (one or more levels 1193, e.g.) maymanifest such information. (Insofar that voltage levels 331-334 andfluid levels 1193 are analogous, this example will prove useful to somereaders.) A data node 1190 literally containing a fluid, for example,may manifest either a negative state 1181 (as any fluid level 1193 abovea threshold 1191, e.g.) or a positive state 1182 (as any fluid level1193 below a threshold 1192, e.g.). A fluid inlet valve 1171 may allowfluid to enter (as a “current,” e.g.) so that data node 1190 transitionsfrom positive state 1182 to negative state 1181. Conversely a fluidoutlet valve 1173 may allow fluid to exit so that data node 1190transitions from negative state 1181 to positive state 1182. In somecontexts, for example, one or more instances of fluid sensors 1172 maybe configured to detect a fluid level configuration of or transitions ina data node set manifesting one or more determinations 1151-1159 orother indications. Transistor components or other sensors 1174 canlikewise manifest such indications in some variants, as furtherdescribed below.

Referring now to FIG. 12, a system is shown comprising one or moretangible data-handling media 1200 bearing one or more instances of code1110; of recorded or other digitally expressed sounds 1255 (one or morechimes 1251 or beeps 1252 or other such phenomena, e.g.); of decisions1241, 1242, 1243, 1244; or of tables 1270. As described below, suchtables may each comprise several records 1281, 1282, 1283, 1284, 1285,1286, 1287 each containing one or more fields (e.g. one or more recordidentifiers 1271, invocation parameters 1272 or other operatingparameters, resource identifiers 1273, source party identification tags1274, or destination party identification tags 1275 as shown).

Referring now to FIG. 13, a system is shown comprising one or moretangible data-handling media 1300 bearing one or more instances ofaccounts 1301, 1302 (each manifesting one or more activations 1311 ordeactivations 1312, e.g.); of requests 1351, 1352, 1353; of registries1360; of labels 1321 or other marking components 1325 (radio frequencyidentification transponders 1324, e.g.) or other such physical features1331, 1332; of inputs 1371, 1372, 1373; of times 1381, 1382, 1383; or ofparty identifiers 1391, 1392, 1393, 1394 as described below.

Referring now to FIG. 14, a system is shown comprising one or moretangible data-handling media 1400 bearing one or more instances ofselections 1435 or other parameters 1441, 1442, 1443, 1444, 1445 or oftables 1480 containing one or more records 1481, 1482, 1483. In somecontexts described herein, each such record may associate one or morerouting tags 1460 (comprising a phone number 1461 or internet protocoladdress 1462, e.g.) with one or more permanent identifiers 1470(comprising an international mobile station equipment identity number1471 or other serial number 1472, e.g.).

Referring now to FIG. 15, a system is shown comprising one or moretangible data-handling media 1500 bearing one or more instances ofrecipient designation signals 1510 (e.g. comprising a series of one ormore bits 1501, 1502); of network routing tags 1530 (e.g. comprising aseries of one or more bits 1521, 1522); of information components 1551,1552, 1553, 1554 (e.g. arranged in lexicons 1561, 1562, 1563, 1564); orof data selections 1570 (each comprising one or more audio componentselections 1571 or display component selections 1572, e.g.).

Referring now to FIG. 16, a system is shown comprising one or moretangible data-handling media 1600 bearing one or more instances ofcommunications 1631, 1632, 1633, 1634 optionally comprising one or moreinstances of target identifications 1621; of source identifications1622; or of content 1623, 1624. In some contexts, for example, suchcommunications 1631-1634 may comprise one or more device-generated orinterpersonal messages 1636, 1637, 1638 or communications 531-535 asdescribed below. Alternatively or additionally, such media 1600 mayinclude one or more instances of locally or remotely accessibledirectories 1640 or indexed by one or more unique names 1661, subscribernumbers 1662, virtual device identifiers 1663 or other such identifiers1671, 1672, 1673, 1674 and optionally associating two or more suchentities as described herein.

Referring now to FIG. 17, a system is shown comprising event-sequencinglogic 1700 relating to a mobile device configured to be shared by two ormore parties. Such logic may include one or more node sets 1711, 1712implementing or interacting with circuitry 1710 configured to determinean inclusion of a reference value in a first record of a firstcommunication from first equipment in a data-handling medium of secondequipment and having one or more voltage configurations thereon eachmanifesting a respective component (protocol or determinant or result,e.g.) thereof, as further described below. Such logic may likewiseinclude one or more node sets 1721, 1722 implementing or interactingwith circuitry 1720 configured to cause a second communication to afirst mobile device configured to be shared by two or more parties thatinclude a first party and a second party conditionally, partly based onan indication of user action at the second equipment and partly based onan indication of the reference value in the first record of the firstcommunication from the first equipment matching an index of a secondrecord resulting from the first communication and having one or morevoltage configurations thereon each manifesting a respective componentthereof, as further described below. Such logic may likewise include oneor more node sets 1731, 1732 implementing or interacting with circuitry1730 configured to transmit the second communication and having one ormore voltage configurations thereon each manifesting a respectivecomponent thereof, as further described below.

In some variants described herein a “party” refers to a living entity(one or more human beings, e.g.). A “set” of parties may be divided intotwo or more “subsets” (one of which subsets may be a “remainder” of theset that is complementary to another subset, e.g.). A “component” of adigital communication may refer to an entirety of the communication orto any portion of the communication (comprising one or more bits, e.g.).An initiator or sender may cause a communication to be “directed to” oneor more entities (devices or parties, e.g.) in various ways, such as byconfiguring an “address” or “destination” portion of the communication.Moreover in some contexts an expression in a communication may “signify”one or more such entities either directly (by including a uniqueidentifier of each such entity, e.g.) or indirectly (by including one ormore expressions sufficiently specific to identify an entity locally orby providing enough information so that unique identifiers of each suchentity may be retrieved or otherwise accessed, e.g.).

Referring now to FIG. 18, a system is shown comprising event-sequencinglogic 1800 relating to a mobile device configured to be shared by two ormore parties. Such logic may include one or more node sets 1811, 1812implementing or interacting with circuitry 1810 configured to obtain afirst communication having both a first routing tag and first usercontent and having one or more voltage configurations thereon eachmanifesting a respective component (protocol or determinant or result,e.g.) thereof, as further described below. Such logic may likewiseinclude one or more node sets 1821, 1822 implementing or interactingwith circuitry 1820 configured to obtain both a selective identificationof a first subset of the two or more parties derived from the firstrouting tag and the first user content to be transmitted in a secondcommunication having a second routing tag also derived from the firstrouting tag and having one or more voltage configurations thereon eachmanifesting a respective component thereof, as further described below.Such logic may likewise include one or more node sets 1831, 1832implementing or interacting with circuitry 1830 configured to cause thedata selection to be presented at the first mobile device as anautomatic response to the first communication that includes both theidentification of the first subset of the two or more parties and theuser data directed to the first subset of the two or more parties afterthe decision either to exclude the first informational data from thedata selection if anyone is detected in the vicinity of the first mobiledevice who is not in the first subset of the two or more parties or toinclude the first informational data in the data selection if no one isdetected in the vicinity of the first mobile device who is not in thefirst subset of the two or more parties and having one or more voltageconfigurations thereon each manifesting a respective component thereof,as further described below.

Referring now to FIG. 19, a system is shown comprising event-sequencinglogic 1900 relating to a mobile device configured to be shared by two ormore parties. Such logic may include one or more node sets 1911, 1912implementing or interacting with circuitry 1910 configured to obtain afirst component of a first communication and an identification of afirst subset of the two or more parties with whom the first component isassociated and a network routing tag identifying the first mobile deviceall at network equipment operably coupled with the first mobile deviceand having one or more voltage configurations thereon each manifesting arespective component (protocol or determinant or result, e.g.) thereof,as further described below. Such logic may likewise include one or morenode sets 1921, 1922 implementing or interacting with circuitry 1920configured to obtain a second communication that includes the firstcomponent of the first communication and identifies the first subset ofthe two or more parties and identifies the first mobile device at thenetwork equipment as an automatic response to an indication of an activeaccount being associated with the first subset and having one or morevoltage configurations thereon each manifesting a respective componentthereof, as further described below. Such logic may likewise include oneor more node sets 1931, 1932 implementing or interacting with circuitry1930 configured to cause the second communication from the networkequipment and having one or more voltage configurations thereon eachmanifesting a respective component thereof, as further described below.

Referring now to FIG. 20, a system is shown comprising event-sequencinglogic 2000 comprising several electrical nodes 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023,2024, 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032, 2033, 2034, 2035,2036, 2037, 2038, 2039, 2040, 2041, 2042, 2043, 2044, 2045, 2046, 2047,2048, 2049 (bearing one or more values 2098, e.g.) operably coupled withone or more instances of implementation modules 2071, 2072, 2073, 2074,2075, 2076, 2077, 2078, 2079; of extraction modules 2081, 2082, 2083,2084; or of antennas 2090 (able to receive a communication through air2089, e.g.), as further described below. As used in the contexts ofFIGS. 17-19 above, a “node set” includes one or more such electricalnodes each having a respective voltage—usually nominally “high” or “low”at times of interest—the “voltage configuration” of the node set beingthe component voltages taken collectively.

Referring now to FIG. 21, a system is shown comprising a primary unit2110 (exemplifying a mobile or other “first” device, e.g.) operablycoupled with a secondary unit 2120 (exemplifying a “second” devicereceiving a signal from or sending a signal to the “first” device asdescribed below, e.g.). In some variants, primary unit 2110 comprisesone or more instances of update modules 2021, 2102; of processingmodules 2131, 2132, 2133, 2134; of configuration modules 2141, 2142,2143, 2144; of decision modules 2151, 2152, 2153, 2154, 2155, 2156; orof response modules 2171, 2172, 2173, 2174. A secondary unit 2120 maylikewise comprise one or more instances of unidirectional communicationestablishment modules 2181; of bidirectional communication establishmentmodules 2182; or of lookup modules 2183, as further described below.

Referring now to FIG. 22, a system is shown comprising event-sequencinglogic 2200 comprising one or more instances of recognition modules 2241,2242, 2243, 2244; of control modules 2251, 2252, 2253, 2254; ofinvocation modules 2271, 2272, 2273, 2274; of evaluation modules 2281,2282, 2283, 2284; or of retrieval modules 2291, 2292, 2293, 2294, 2295,2296 as further described below.

Referring now to FIG. 23, a system is shown comprising event-sequencinglogic 2300 relating to a mobile device configured to be shared by two ormore parties. Such logic may include one or more node sets 2311, 2312implementing or interacting with circuitry 2310 configured to obtain afirst communication having both a first routing tag and first usercontent and having one or more voltage configurations thereon eachmanifesting a respective component (protocol or determinant or result,e.g.) thereof, as further described below. Such logic may likewiseinclude one or more node sets 2321, 2322 implementing or interactingwith circuitry 2320 configured to cause both a selective identificationof a first subset of the two or more parties derived from the firstrouting tag and the first user content to be transmitted in a secondcommunication having a second routing tag also derived from the firstrouting tag and having one or more voltage configurations thereon eachmanifesting a respective component thereof, as further described below.

Referring now to FIG. 24, a system is shown comprising event-sequencinglogic 2400 relating to a mobile device configured to be shared by two ormore parties. Such logic may include one or more node sets 2411, 2412implementing or interacting with circuitry 2410 configured to obtain afirst component of a first communication and an identification of afirst subset of the two or more parties with whom the first component isassociated and a network routing tag identifying the first mobile deviceall at network equipment operably coupled with the first mobile deviceand having one or more voltage configurations thereon each manifesting arespective component (protocol or determinant or result, e.g.) thereof,as further described below. Such logic may likewise include one or morenode sets 2421, 2422 implementing or interacting with circuitry 2420configured to assemble a second communication that includes the firstcomponent of the first communication and identifies the first subset ofthe two or more parties and identifies the first mobile device at thenetwork equipment as an automatic response to an indication of an activeaccount being associated with the first subset and having one or morevoltage configurations thereon each manifesting a respective componentthereof, as further described below. Such logic may likewise include oneor more node sets 2431, 2432 implementing or interacting with circuitry2430 configured to transmit the second communication from the networkequipment and having one or more voltage configurations thereon eachmanifesting a respective component thereof, as further described below.

Referring now to FIG. 25, a system is shown comprising event-sequencinglogic 2500 comprising one or more instances of extraction modules 2521,2522, 2523, 2524, 2525, 2526; of configuration modules 2541, 2542, 2543,2544; of verification modules 2571, 2572; or of input modules 2591,2592, 2593, 2594 as further described below.

Referring now to FIG. 26, a system is shown comprising event-sequencinglogic 2600 comprising one or more instances of circuitry 2653 configuredto post a charge for a component of the second communication to a firstaccount specifically associated with one or more members of the firstsubset; of circuitry 2655 configured to request that a remote entityprovide a subset identification tag that corresponds with a virtualdevice identifier; of circuitry 2656 configured to transmit adevice-executable code segment to an entity identified by a calleridentification field as an automatic and conditional response to thefirst communication; or of circuitry 2658 configured to request aretrieval of a network routing tag by invoking a remote lookup operationas further described below.

Referring now to FIG. 27, a system is shown comprising event-sequencinglogic 2700 comprising one or more instances of derivation modules 2771,2772, 2773, 2774, 2775, 2776, 2777, 2778, 2779 as further describedbelow.

Referring now to FIG. 28, a system is shown comprising event-sequencinglogic 2800 comprising one or more instances of cameras 2801, microphones2802, radio frequency identification (RFID) readers 2803, or othersensors 2805; of image data 2821; of auditory data 2822; of badge data2823; of P estimation modules 2850 comprising one or more recognitionmodules 2841, 2842, 2843, 2844; of Q estimation modules 2870 comprisingone or more recognition modules 2861, 2862, 2863, 2864 as furtherdescribed with reference to U.S. application Ser. No. 14/175,617 (atFIG. 36 thereof, e.g.).

Referring now to FIG. 29, a system is shown comprising one or moretangible data-handling media 2900 bearing one or more instances ofcommunications 2910, 2920 each comprising one or more components 2905;of counts 2921, 2922, 2923; of code segments 2941, 2942, 2943, 2944,2945, 2946, 2947, 2948, 2949; or of data expressions 2951, 2952, 2953,2954, 2955, 2956, 2957, 2958, 2959 (each comprising one or more binaryor decimal digits or other characters or character sequences, as shown)as further described below. In some variants, moreover, such components2905 may include one or more instances of device identifiers 2901; ofparty identifiers 2902; of content 2903, 2904; or of other aspectsdescribed with reference to U.S. application Ser. No. 14/175,617 (atFIG. 35 thereof, e.g.).

Referring now to FIG. 30, a system is shown comprising one or moretangible data-handling media 3000 bearing one or more instances ofcommunications 3031, 3032, 3033, 3034, 3035, 3036 (e.g. each comprisingone or more components 3001, 3002, 3003); of clips 3021, 3022; ofcurrent balances 3061, 3062 (in subscriber accounts, e.g.); of tags3081, 3082, 3083, 3084 or similar identification 3080; of charges 3071,3072, 3073, 3074 (affecting subscriber accounts, e.g.); or of fields3091, 3092, 3093 as described below.

Referring now to FIG. 31, a system is shown comprising event-sequencinglogic 3100 comprising one or more instances of protocol initiationmodules 3141; of text messaging modules 3142; of SIM configurationmodules 3143; of task sequencing modules 3144; of local interfacecontrol modules 3151; of remote interface control modules 3152; of guestprivilege configuration modules 3153; of handset identifier mappingmodules 3154; of anonymous response modules 3161, 3162 or othercontext-specific response implementation modules 3170; of identifierproperty recognition modules 3181; of guest session scheduling modules3182; of channel establishment request modules 3183; of handover controlmodules 3184; of virtual device identifier recognition modules 3185; orof landline configuration modules 3186. In light of teachings herein,numerous existing techniques may be applied for configuringspecial-purpose circuitry or other structures effective for implementingeach of these in a configuration of voltage levels (in respective nodesets thereof, e.g.) as described herein without undue experimentation.See, e.g., structural components to which the enclosed InformationDisclosure Statement (in form 1449A/PTO or substitute filed herewith asanother component of the instant application) refers, several of whichpublications describe such structures in detail.

Referring now to FIG. 32, a system is shown comprising event-sequencinglogic 3200 relating to a mobile device configured to be shared by two ormore parties. Such logic may include one or more node sets 3211, 3212implementing or interacting with circuitry 3210 configured to obtainboth a first communication and a first network routing tag (directly orindirectly) from a first subset of two or more parties and via a firstdevice, the first communication including first user data, the firstdevice being a mobile device configured to be shared by the two or moreparties and having one or more voltage configurations thereon eachmanifesting a respective component (protocol or determinant or result,e.g.) thereof, as further described below. Such logic may likewiseinclude one or more node sets 3221, 3222 implementing or interactingwith circuitry 3220 configured to cause a second device associated withthe first network routing tag to receive a second communication thatincludes both the first user data and a second network routing tag (avirtual device identifier or spoofed source address, e.g.) associatedboth with the mobile device configured to be shared by the two or moreparties and with the first subset of the two or more parties, the secondnetwork routing tag not associated with a remainder of the two or moreparties, and having one or more voltage configurations thereon eachmanifesting a respective component thereof, as further described below.

Referring now to FIG. 33, a system is shown comprising one or moretangible data-handling media 3300 bearing one or more instances ofrecords 3321, 3322 (each comprising one or more sender identifiers 3314,service identifiers 3316, timestamps 3318, or other such parameters,e.g.) of a table 3320 indexed by one or more values 3331, 3332, 3333,3334 as described below.

Referring now to FIG. 34, a system is shown comprising one or moretangible data-handling media 3400 bearing one or more instances ofrecords 3494, 3495, 3496 (each comprising one or more indexes 3481 andone or more other data fields 3482, 3483 as shown, e.g.) of acommunication history 3430 as described below.

Referring now to FIG. 35, a system is shown comprising event-sequencinglogic 3500 relating to a mobile device configured to be shared by two ormore parties. Such logic may include one or more node sets 3511, 3512implementing or interacting with circuitry 3510 configured to cause aninclusion of a reference value in a first record of a firstcommunication from first equipment in a data-handling medium of secondequipment and having one or more voltage configurations thereon eachmanifesting a respective component (protocol or determinant or result,e.g.) thereof, as further described below. Such logic may likewiseinclude one or more node sets 3521, 3522 implementing or interactingwith circuitry 3520 configured to transmit a second communication to afirst mobile device configured to be shared by two or more parties thatinclude a first party and a second party conditionally, partly based onan indication of user action at the second equipment and partly based onan indication of the reference value in the first record of the firstcommunication from the first equipment matching an index of a secondrecord resulting from the first communication, and having one or morevoltage configurations thereon each manifesting a respective componentthereof, as further described below.

Referring now to FIG. 36, a system is shown in a context like that ofFIG. 3, one that highlights a mobile device 3640 configured to be sharedby two or more parties 401, 402, 403. As further depicted above withreference to FIG. 3 and further described below with reference to FIG.37, a subset 3609 (but not all) of the parties 401, 402 who share device3640 cause equipment 3601 to transmit a communication 3631 (via a WLANaccess point 456 or base transceiver station 459 of network 3691, e.g.)to other equipment 3602 (via linkages 3696, 3697 and network 3692,e.g.). This transmission results in two or more records thereof beingused to facilitate a second communication 3632 back to device 3640 asdescribed below.

With reference now to FIG. 37, shown is a high-level logic flow 3700 ofan operational process. Operation 3701 describes causing an inclusion ofa reference value in a first record of a first communication from firstequipment in a data-handling medium of second equipment (e.g. invocationmodule 2272 triggering response module 2174 to configure a “first”record 3321 of a “first” communication 3631, including at least onereference value 3331, to be stored in one or more data-handling media3300 residing in device 3621 or in network 3692). This can occur, forexample, in a context in which Susan is the “first” party 401 and Nancyis the “second” party 402 and in which Larry is a “third” party; inwhich the “first” equipment 3601 comprises device 3640, in which the“second” equipment 3602 comprises device 3621, in which such “reference”values 3331, 3332 each comprise a sender identifier 3314, serviceidentifier 3316, timestamp 3318, or other text field value by whichtable 3320 is indexed; in which the “first” communication 3631 (atelephone call or text message from Susan to Larry, e.g.) havingoccurred is indicated at least in table 3320 (a caller identification ortransaction history entry manifested as record 3321, e.g.) and incommunication history 3430 (as record 3495, e.g.) both; in which thereference value(s) of record 3321 may be used individually or jointly asa serial alphanumeric record identifier or other search term forretrieving a single record from table 3320; and in whichevent-sequencing logic 2200 is remotely coupled with medium 3300 (inanother facility or at least 0.1 kilometers away, e.g.). In somevariants in which one or more media 3300 reside in primary unit 2110,for example, response module 2174 may be configured as a record manager.Alternatively or additionally, a response module 2174 residing in the“second” equipment 3602 (in device 3621 or network 3692, e.g.) mayperform (an instance of) operation 3701 (by storing the “first” record3321 locally, e.g.). In light of teachings herein, numerous existingtechniques may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry orother structures effective for managing electronic records (for handlingparty identifiers in association with other information, e.g.) and forgenerating and implementing logic decisions in circuitry as describedherein without undue experimentation. See, e.g., structural componentsto which the enclosed Information Disclosure Statement (in form1449A/PTO or substitute filed herewith as another component of theinstant application) refers, several of which publications describepattern recognition or other such digital data handling in detail.

Operation 3702 describes transmitting a second communication to a firstmobile device configured to be shared by two or more parties thatinclude a first party and a second party conditionally, partly based onan indication of user action at the second equipment and partly based onan indication of the reference value in the first record of the firstcommunication from the first equipment matching an index of a secondrecord resulting from the first communication, the first equipmentcomprising the first mobile device (e.g. configuration module 2544implementing the “second” communication 3632 at least to Susan via adevice 3640 shared by Susan and Nancy conditionally, partly based on anindication 1044 of Larry trying to text or call Susan back and partlybased on an indication 1045 of the one or more reference values 3331 inthe first record 3321 matching an index 3481 of a counterpart record3495 that also resulted from the “first” communication 3631). This canoccur, for example, in a context in which event-sequencing logic 1000,2200, 2500 (instantiated in network 3692 or device 3621, e.g.) includesor otherwise interacts with data-handling media as described above; inwhich configuration module 2544 has received the indication 1044 ofLarry trying to return Susan's communication (as a wireless signal 397via linkage 3697 or as microphone or keypad input at device 3621, e.g.);in which configuration module 2544 determines or receives the indication1045 of one or more reference values 3331, 3332 of the “first” record3321 matching an index 3481 of the “second” record 3495 (from arecognition module 774 that searches the records 3494-3496 ofcommunication history 3430 and successfully matches such values, e.g.)of the first communication 3631; in which network 3692 includes BTS 359(shown in FIG. 3-E); in which configuration module 2544 conditionallyresponds to such determinants by establishing the “second” communication3632 (relaying or extending a signal from device 3621, e.g.); in whichdevice 3640 is an instance of device 440 indirectly linked (via one ormore of WLAN access point 456 or base transceiver station 459, e.g.)with network 390 (see FIG. 3); in which event-sequencing logic 700, 2200resides in the “first” or “second” equipment 3601, 3602; in which lookupmodule 2183 is configured to find record 3495 using at least value 3331as a search parameter; and in which device 3621 would otherwise requirespecial software (providing for 22-digit cellphone numbers, e.g.) justso that a relatively unskilled device user (party 301, e.g.) couldeffectively return a text or call received from Susan via mobile device3640. In some variants relating to FIG. 3 or 32, for example,event-sequencing logic 2200, 2500 as described above may reside inserver 428 (shown in FIG. 3-N). Alternatively or additionally,configuration module 2544 may likewise be responsive to account-relatedor other determinants described herein (that trigger or disable the“second” communication 3632 conditionally, e.g.). Moreover in somecontexts operation 3702 is performed as a real-time response to anindication of Larry signaling “reply” while a record of a call or texthe got from Susan is selected. In light of teachings herein, numerousexisting techniques may be applied for configuring special-purposecircuitry or other structures effective for routing such networkcommunications (for implementing various interpersonal communicationsand for using routing tags for various telecommunication, e.g.) asdescribed herein without undue experimentation. See, e.g., structuralcomponents to which the enclosed Information Disclosure Statement (inform 1449A/PTO or substitute filed herewith as another component of theinstant application) refers, several of which publications describepattern recognition or other such digital data handling in detail.

With reference now to flow 3800 of FIG. 38 and to other flows describedabove, in some variants, one or more of operations 3853, 3855, 3857, or3858 may be performed in preparation for or in response to or otherwisein conjunction with any of operations in flows depicted in FIGS. 35-37above. Operation 3853 describes posting a charge for a component of thesecond communication to a first account specifically associated with oneor more members of the first subset (e.g. processing module 2133triggering an application of one or more charges 3071 associated withdelivering some or all of a “second” communication described hereinagainst a current balance 3061 of one or more person-specific accounts1001-1004, 1301, 1302). This can occur, for example, in a context inwhich the balance 3061 is expressed in minutes or dollars. In light ofteachings herein, numerous existing techniques may be applied forconfiguring special-purpose circuitry or other structures effective forhandling charge authorizations or other access control features asdescribed herein without undue experimentation. See, e.g., structuralcomponents to which the enclosed Information Disclosure Statement (inform 1449A/PTO or substitute filed herewith as another component of theinstant application) refers, several of which publications describe suchfeatures in detail.

Operation 3855 describes requesting that a remote entity provide a usersubset identification tag that corresponds with a virtual deviceidentifier (e.g. implementation module 2079 requesting that a retrievalmodule 2293 not within a common facility of event-sequencing logic 2000provide one or more destination party identification tags 1275 or othertags 3044 described herein). This can occur, for example, in a contextin which implementation module 2079 performs operation 3855 bytransmitting the virtual device identifier in a trigger signal toevent-sequencing logic 2200 and in which retrieval module 2293 looks upthe user subset identification tag (identifying Tybalt or Carol, e.g.)and transmits the result (the tag or an error message, e.g.) toimplementation module 2079 as an automatic response.

Operation 3857 describes receiving a device-executable code segment as acomponent of the first communication (e.g. configuration module 2544receiving one or more device-executable code segments 2941-2949 as acomponent of a “first” communication described herein). This can occur,for example, in a context in which a primary unit 2110 includingevent-sequencing logic 900, 2000, 2500 receives the “first”communication as a wireless signal (from adjacent air 2089 via anantenna 956, 2090 thereof, e.g.). Alternatively or additionally, in somevariants, one or more such components may be installed or otherwiseimplemented upon arrival (as a real-time response, e.g.).

Operation 3858 describes requesting a retrieval of a particular tag byinvoking a remote lookup operation (e.g. implementation module 2078requesting that a remote instance of event-sequencing logic 2200 look upone or more source party identification tags 1274, destination partyidentification tags 1275, routing tags 1460, or other tags 3041-3044described herein). This can occur, for example, in a context in whichimplementation module 2078 performs operation 3858 by transmitting oneor more operands (search terms, e.g.) to an instance of retrieval module2295 resident in server 428. Alternatively or additionally, theparticular tag may (optionally) be a data component (of one or morecommunications described herein, e.g.) that identifies a particularmobile device 440 or other entity (user group, e.g.) described herein.

With reference now to flow 3900 of FIG. 39 and to other flows describedabove, in some variants, one or more of operations 3952, 3954, 3957, or3958 may be performed in preparation for or in response to or otherwisein conjunction with any of operations in flows depicted in FIGS. 35-37above. Operation 3952 describes causing a portable device to undergo awireless linkage handover to or from a WLAN hotspot (e.g. invocationmodule 2273 causing one or more mobile devices 440 to undergo a wirelesslinkage handover to or from WLAN zone 416 across zone boundary 410,establishing or terminating a linkage with WLAN access point 456). Thiscan occur, for example, in response to invocation module 2273 receivinga determination 1152 from evaluation module 2282 that a suitabilityindicator relating to the wireless linkage (a signal strength or biterror rate of a signal path through access point 456, e.g.) is marginal(has become adequate or inadequate, e.g.). Alternatively oradditionally, invocation module 2273 may be configured as or operablycoupled with a handover control module 3184 configured to perform(another instance of) operation 3952. In light of teachings herein,numerous existing techniques may be applied for configuringspecial-purpose circuitry or other structures effective forhandoff-related decisions and protocols as described herein withoutundue experimentation. See, e.g., structural components to which theenclosed Information Disclosure Statement (in form 1449A/PTO orsubstitute filed herewith as another component of the instantapplication) refers, several of which publications describe wirelesshandovers in detail.

Operation 3954 describes implementing a virtual device identifierrecognition module in firmware of a particular device (e.g.configuration module 2142 implementing one or more dependent identifierrecognition modules 131-133 as described herein in firmware 439). Thiscan occur, for example, in a context in which device 440 initiates orotherwise facilitates a communication 531-535 as described herein (witha shared mobile device, e.g.). Alternatively or additionally,configuration module 2142 may be configured as or operably coupled witha virtual device identifier recognition module 3185 configured toperform (another instance of) operation 3954. In light of teachingsherein, numerous existing techniques may be applied for configuringspecial-purpose circuitry or other structures effective for applyingarithmetic and logical criteria as described herein without undueexperimentation. See, e.g., structural components to which the enclosedInformation Disclosure Statement (in form 1449A/PTO or substitute filedherewith as another component of the instant application) refers,several of which publications describe such digital processing andcontingent action in detail.

Operation 3957 describes mapping a response protocol comprising anoperational parameter to a specific recipient party identifier and to acontext of a specific communication having an identified initiator (e.g.update module 2101 establishing a record 1281 within table 1270 thatmaps a particular response protocol comprising an invocation parameter1272 to a specific destination party identification (DPI) tag 1275 andto a context of a specific communication 531-535 having a source partyidentification (SPI) tag 1274). In the context of datastructure 680, forexample, SPI tag 1274 may comprise a caller ID field. Alternatively oradditionally, operation 3957 may be performed by a (non-anonymous)context-specific response implementation module 3170 (responsive toupdate module 2101, e.g.). In light of teachings herein, numerousexisting techniques may be applied for configuring special-purposecircuitry or other structures effective for implementing calleridentification (ID) and spoofing as described herein without undueexperimentation. See, e.g., structural components to which the enclosedInformation Disclosure Statement (in form 1449A/PTO or substitute filedherewith as another component of the instant application) refers,several of which publications describe source party identification andauthentication in detail.

Operation 3958 describes deciding whether or not to respond silently toa specific communication partly based on whether or not the specificcommunication is anonymous and partly based on whether or not thespecific communication includes a virtual mobile number (e.g.configuration module 2141 signaling an affirmative decision 1242 topresent a chime 1251 or other distinctive sound 1255 signifying ananonymous communication 534 via speaker 971 as an automatic andconditional response to an indication that the communication is directedto an unavailable recipient). This can occur, for example, in a contextin which a negative decision 1241 would result in no such presentationand in which the targeted recipient is busy or unlisted or otherwiseoffline and in which output control module 2253 is configured to presentinformational data 1340 via one or more presentation modules 970 ofmobile device 440 in response to one or more such decisions 1241, 1242,1243. Alternatively or additionally, configuration module 2141 may beconfigured as or operably coupled with an anonymous response module 3161configured to perform (another instance of) operation 3958. In light ofteachings herein, numerous existing techniques may be applied forconfiguring special-purpose circuitry or other structures effective forpresenting human-perceptible information at a mobile device as describedherein without undue experimentation. See, e.g., structural componentsto which the enclosed Information Disclosure Statement (in form1449A/PTO or substitute filed herewith as another component of theinstant application) refers, several of which publications describeauditory and visual information in detail.

With reference now to flow 4000 of FIG. 40 and to other flows describedabove, in some variants, one or more of operations 4051, 4053, 4056, or4059 may be performed in preparation for or in response to or otherwisein conjunction with any of operations in flows depicted above. Operation4051 describes configuring a particular routing tag as a telephonenumber associated with a land line (e.g. control module 2254 associatingan E.164-compatible phone number 1461 of a landline with a networkrouting tag 672, 1530 described herein). This can occur, for example, ina context in which the network routing tag is also an E.164-compatiblephone number; in which the landline is a linkage to a server 428 (asdepicted in FIG. 32, e.g.); and in which record 1482 associates thatinstance of phone number 1461 (in record 1482, e.g.) with a particularparty. Alternatively or additionally, control module 2254 may beconfigured as or operably coupled with a landline configuration module3186 constructed and arranged to perform (another instance of) operation4051. In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques may beapplied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other structureseffective for implementing a public switched or other telephone networkas described herein without undue experimentation. See, e.g., structuralcomponents to which the enclosed Information Disclosure Statement (inform 1449A/PTO or substitute filed herewith as another component of theinstant application) refers, several of which publications describetelephonic routing in detail.

Operation 4053 describes configuring a wireless transmission to includean interpersonal text message obtained as a component of the firstcommunication (e.g. implementation module 2076 initiating a shortmessage service (SMS) or multimedia message service (MMS) text 522 aswireless communication 531-535). Alternatively or additionally,implementation module 2076 may be configured as or operably coupled witha text messaging module 3142 configured to perform (another instance of)operation 4053. In light of teachings herein, numerous existingtechniques may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry orother structures effective for interpersonal text message services asdescribed herein without undue experimentation. See, e.g., structuralcomponents to which the enclosed Information Disclosure Statement (inform 1449A/PTO or substitute filed herewith as another component of theinstant application) refers, several of which publications describe SMSand MMS text messaging in detail.

Operation 4056 describes configuring a wireless transmission to includea channel establishment request obtained as a component of the firstcommunication (e.g. implementation module 2077 initiating a call 521,dialogue, or other such semi-permanent interactive wirelesscommunication 531-535 with a channel establishment request 1353).Alternatively or additionally, implementation module 2077 may beconfigured as or operably coupled with a channel establishment requestmodule 3183 configured to initiate (another instance of) operation 4056.In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques may beapplied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other structureseffective for call or session establishment as described herein withoutundue experimentation. See, e.g., structural components to which theenclosed Information Disclosure Statement (in form 1449A/PTO orsubstitute filed herewith as another component of the instantapplication) refers, several of which publications describe channelestablishment in detail.

Operation 4059 describes associating a handset with a specific routingtag (e.g. retrieval module 2296 obtaining a record 1481 that associatesone or more phone numbers 1461 or internet protocol addresses 1462 witha permanent identifier 1470 of the handset). This can occur, forexample, in a context in which the permanent identifier 1470 is aninternational mobile station equipment identity (IMEI) number 1471 orother serial number 1472 and in which the directory 1640 is remote (fromevent-sequencing logic 2200, e.g.). Alternatively or additionally,operation 4059 may be performed (by update module 2102, e.g.) byproviding a new routing tag 1460 to the handset. Alternatively oradditionally, retrieval module 2296 may be configured as or operablycoupled with a handset identifier mapping module 3154 configured toperform (another instance of) operation 4059. In light of teachingsherein, numerous existing techniques may be applied for configuringspecial-purpose circuitry or other structures effective for routingcommunications as described herein without undue experimentation. See,e.g., structural components to which the enclosed Information DisclosureStatement (in form 1449A/PTO or substitute filed herewith as anothercomponent of the instant application) refers, several of whichpublications describe cellular network routing in detail.

With reference now to flow 4100 of FIG. 41 and to other flows describedabove, in some variants, one or more of operations 4152, 4154, 4156, or4157 may be performed in preparation for or in response to or otherwisein conjunction with any of operations in flows depicted above. Operation4152 describes obtaining a digitally expressed determination whether ornot an integer is evenly divisible by X as a component of obtaining anindication whether or not an entity identifier is apparentlyindependent, X being greater than 1, the integer being a component ofthe entity identifier, the digitally expressed determination comprisingan intrinsic property of the entity identifier (e.g. extraction module2081 generating an affirmative determination 1153 if a 3-digitextraction 1122 from entity identifier 1121 is divisible by X andotherwise generating a negative determination 1154). This can occur, forexample, in a context in which 3<X<30; in which a large block of34-digit identifiers is contiguous; in one or more such determinations1153, 1154 is required for generating a determination 1155 that a givenentity identifier 1121 is apparently not independent; in which suchdetermination 1155 triggers a conditional lookup in a separate registry1360 (to obtain a corresponding independent entity identifier, e.g.); inwhich such a conditional lookup implementation prevents a party 302 fromreceiving an erroneous determination 1156 that entity identifier 1121 isnot in use without requiring every entity identifier 1121 to be listedin a location register; and in which most entity identifiers within thelarge block are not evenly divisible by X. This can occur, for example,in a context in which server 428 has assigned entity identifier 1121 toa user account 1302 (assigned to party 403, e.g.) that resides in ashared mobile device 440 and in which event-sequencing logic 2000resides in a mobile device 322 at which an interpersonal communicationis initiated. Alternatively or additionally, in some variants, aninstance of extraction module 2081 implemented at wireless communicationservice provider 360 may be configured to generate such determinations1155, 1156 by determining whether a parsed extraction 1123 (comprisingthe 9th, 6th, and 3rd digits as shown, e.g.) is an integer multiple ofanother instance of X>1. Alternatively or additionally, extractionmodule 2081 may be configured as or operably coupled with an identifierproperty recognition module 3181 configured to perform (another instanceof) operation 4152.

Operation 4154 describes initiating an investigation protocol effectiveto determine whether a physical destination corresponding to a digitalidentifier can be found (e.g. invocation module 2271 triggering a lookupmodule 2183 effective to determine whether a 10-digit identifier 1121 orother mobile number 120 is listed in a home location register 363 orvisitor location register 364). This can occur, for example, in acontext in which one or more instances of primary unit 2110 includeevent-sequencing logic 2200 operably coupled with tangible data-handlingmedium 1100. Alternatively or additionally, invocation module 2271 maybe configured to perform operation 4154 by broadcasting a request 1351(to one or more wireless communication service providers 390, 460 orsupport service providers 425, e.g.) via one or more satellites 399 orother components of network 390. In light of teachings herein, numerousexisting techniques may be applied for configuring special-purposecircuitry or other structures effective for locating a cellphone orsimilar communication device in a network as described herein withoutundue experimentation. See, e.g., structural components to which theenclosed Information Disclosure Statement (in form 1449A/PTO orsubstitute filed herewith as another component of the instantapplication) refers, several of which publications describe recordretrieval in detail.

Operation 4156 describes identifying a first user with a first virtualmobile number that corresponds to a single real mobile number thatuniquely identifies a portable device (e.g. retrieval module 2291obtaining one or more components of a record 1286 that associates adestination party indication tag 1275 thereof with a virtual mobilenumber 123 that corresponds to real mobile number 120). This can occur,for example, in a context in which event-sequencing logic 2200 includesor is otherwise operably coupled with (an instance of) tangibledata-handling medium 1200; in which retrieval module 2291 selects record1286 using virtual mobile number 123 as a search term (by matching oneor more components of virtual mobile number 123 to record identifier1271, e.g.); and in which record 1286 includes a real mobile number 120that uniquely identifies mobile device 440.

Operation 4157 describes identifying a second user with a second virtualmobile number that corresponds to the single real mobile number thatuniquely identifies the portable device (e.g. retrieval module 2292obtaining one or more components of a record 1287 that associates adestination party indication tag 1275 thereof with a different virtualmobile number 124 that also corresponds to real mobile number 120). Thiscan occur, for example, in a context in which retrieval module 2291selects record 1287 the same way; in which record 1287 includes the samereal mobile number 120 obtained by retrieval module 2291; and in whichsuch first and second users (parties 401, 402) would otherwise be unableto configure device 440 to be simultaneously ready to receivecommunications specifically directed to either user via her respectivevirtual number. Alternatively or additionally, device 440 may(optionally) be configured to implement recipient-party-specificresponse protocols 614, 624, 634 (as well as recipient-party-nonspecificprotocols 604) specific to a context 654 described herein. Alternativelyor additionally, retrieval modules 2291, 2292 may be configured as oroperably coupled with protocol initiation module 3141 configured toperform operations 4156, 4157 in sequence.

With reference now to flow 4200 of FIG. 42 and to other flows describedabove, in some variants, one or more of operations 4251, 4252, 4254,4255, or 4259 may be performed in preparation for or in response to orotherwise in conjunction with any of operations in flows depicted above.Operation 4251 describes mapping a response protocol comprising anoperational parameter to a specific recipient party identifier and to aspecific anonymous communication context (e.g. implementation module2071 accessing a particular record 1282 that contains the operationalparameter 1441, a destination party identification (DPI) tag 1275, and adirect or indirect signal that no specific identification of a sender orinitiator of the communication is available). This can occur, forexample, in a context in which operational parameter 1441 is aninvocation parameter 1272 that identifies one or more contingentresponse protocols 603, 613, 623 (each implemented as code 1110executable by processor 580 or as special-purpose circuitry, e.g.); inwhich a DPI tag 1275 identifies a specific party 403 (Carol) to whom acommunication 531 is addressed; in which the “no specificidentification” signal comprises record 1282 having an omitted or blanksource party identifier tag 1274; and in which implementation module2071 invokes the one or more contingent response protocols 603, 613, 623when an incoming anonymous communication 531 matches the particularrecord 1282. In some contexts, for example, DPI tag 1275 may comprise atext string of “Carol” or audio recording of someone saying “Carol” orCarol's ringtone or some other data that device 440 can present in asuitable context. Alternatively or additionally, implementation module2071 may be configured as or operably coupled with an anonymous responsemodule 3162 configured to perform (another instance of) operation 4251.In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques may beapplied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other structureseffective for contingent invocation as described herein without undueexperimentation. See, e.g., structural components to which the enclosedInformation Disclosure Statement (in form 1449A/PTO or substitute filedherewith as another component of the instant application) refers,several of which publications describe sender or initiator identityindications in detail.

Operation 4252 describes transmitting a trigger signal that causes atleast one of a display or a speaker to present data at a specific mobiledevice (e.g. control module 2251 transmitting one or more components ofaudio component selection 1571 remotely or locally to speaker 971 or adriver thereof). This can occur, for example, in a context in which (oneor more instances of) presentation module 970 resides in mobile device440. Alternatively or additionally, in some variants, control module2251 may be configured to perform operation 4252 by transmitting one ormore components of display component selection 1572 to a driver ofdisplay 972. Alternatively or additionally, control module 2251 may beconfigured as or operably coupled with a remote interface control module3152 configured to perform operation 4252 (in an instance in which thespecific mobile device is remote from event-sequencing logic 3100,e.g.). In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques may beapplied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other structureseffective for controlling mobile device outputs as described hereinwithout undue experimentation. See, e.g., structural components to whichthe enclosed Information Disclosure Statement (in form 1449A/PTO orsubstitute filed herewith as another component of the instantapplication) refers, several of which publications describe presentinguser-detectable output data in detail.

Operation 4254 describes configuring a component of a user interfacewith a specific voltage configuration that manifests wireless signalcontent (e.g. processing module 2132 putting a group of severalelectrical nodes 2040, 2041, 2042, 2043 each at a respective H/L voltagelevels directly indicative of a parameter 1441 obtained in or for awireless signal 531-535). This can occur, for example, in a context inwhich nodes 2040-2043 reside in a user interface 477 (presentationmodule 970, e.g.) of device 440 and in which parameter 1441 includes ahexadecimal value (an integer of at least zero and at most 15, oftendesignated as 0-9 or A-F, e.g.) of “1” (equivalent to a binary value of“0001,” which expresses respective H/L voltages of nodes 2040-2043directly). Alternatively or additionally, processing module 2132 may beconfigured as a local interface control module 3151 configured toperform operation 4254 (in an instance in which the user interface islocal to event-sequencing logic 3100, e.g.). In light of teachingsherein, numerous existing techniques may be applied for configuringspecial-purpose circuitry or other structures effective for expressingH/L voltage levels as described herein without undue experimentation.See, e.g., structural components to which the enclosed InformationDisclosure Statement (in form 1449A/PTO or substitute filed herewith asanother component of the instant application) refers, several of whichpublications describe binary voltage configurations in detail.

Operation 4255 describes configuring a component of a subscriberidentity module with a specific voltage configuration that manifestswireless signal content (e.g. processing module 2131 configuring a groupof several electrical nodes 2044, 2045, 2046, 2047 each at a respectiveH/L voltage levels derived from a parameter 1442 obtained locally orremotely in or for a wireless signal 531-535 as described herein). Thiscan occur, for example, in a context in which nodes 2044-2047 reside ina subscriber identity module 472 of device 440 and in which parameter1442 includes a hexadecimal value of “2” (equivalent to a binary valueof “0010,” which expresses respective H/L voltages of nodes 2044-2047directly). Alternatively or additionally, processing module 2131 may beoperably coupled with a SIM configuration module 3143 constructed andarranged to perform operation 4255 (in an instance of event-sequencinglogic 3100 remote from event-sequencing logic 2100, e.g.). In light ofteachings herein, numerous existing techniques may be applied forconfiguring special-purpose circuitry or other structures effective forencryption or other such data derivation as described herein withoutundue experimentation. See, e.g., structural components to which theenclosed Information Disclosure Statement (in form 1449A/PTO orsubstitute filed herewith as another component of the instantapplication) refers, several of which publications describe digital dataderivation in detail.

Operation 4259 describes configuring a component of one or moreprocessors with a specific voltage configuration that manifests anexecutable protocol (e.g. control module 2252 putting a group of two ormore electrical nodes 2048, 2049 each at a respective H/L voltage levelsin one of four permutations indicative of a parameter 1443 obtained inor for a wireless signal 531-535 by reading value 2098). This can occur,for example, in a context in which nodes 2048, 2049 reside in (aninstance of) device 440 and in which parameter 1443 includes a binaryvalue of “00” or “01” or “10” or “11” used as a selection 1435 of a nextprotocol (among several available protocols, e.g.) to be invoked orexecuted by control module 2252. Alternatively or additionally, controlmodule 2252 may be configured as or operably coupled with a tasksequencing module 3144 configured to perform (another instance of)operation 4259. In light of teachings herein, numerous existingtechniques may be applied for configuring special-purpose circuitry orother structures effective for selecting which circuitry to read orotherwise activate next as described herein without undueexperimentation. See, e.g., structural components to which the enclosedInformation Disclosure Statement (in form 1449A/PTO or substitute filedherewith as another component of the instant application) refers,several of which publications describe circuitry configurations andactivations in detail.

With reference now to flow 4300 of FIG. 43 and to flow 4400 of FIG. 44and to other flows described above, in some variants, one or more ofoperations 4355, 4357, 4401, 4402, 4403, or 4404 may be performed inpreparation for or in response to or otherwise in conjunction with anyof operations in flows depicted above. Operation 4355 describesexecuting a real-time response to user input that comprises terminatinga temporary virtual guest privilege before a guest period previouslyassigned to a particular device expires automatically (e.g. decisionmodule 2151 triggering a deactivation 1312 of a guest user account 1301as a real-time response to user input 1372 in a context in which theguest user account 1301 would otherwise have automatically expired at alater time 1381 specified by earlier-provided user input 1371). In acontext in which mobile device 440 is provided to a hotel guest as aperk and in which the guest user account 1301 hosted on mobile device440 coincides with a hotel room stay having a nominal time 1382 (acheckout time of 11 am, e.g.) of ending, for example, prior to userinput 1372 the guest user account 1301 may be programmed also toterminate at that (later) nominal time. If the guest checks out of theroom at an earlier time, however, a hotel clerk may provide user input1372 that invokes decision module 2151 to trigger the deactivation 1312before the default ending time 1382. Alternatively or additionally, themobile device 440 may be configured to include one or more guestconvenience control features 1331 such as a uniquely serializedalphanumeric label 1321 (indicating a room number establishing theguest's authority to charge to that room's bill, e.g.) or a wirelesstransmission component 1325 (a passive RFID transponder 1324 configuredto unlock a door of that room or to a hotel amenity, e.g.).Alternatively or additionally, decision module 2151 may be configured asor operably coupled with a guest privilege configuration module 3153constructed and arranged to perform (another instance of) operation4355. In light of teachings herein, numerous existing techniques may beapplied for configuring special-purpose circuitry or other structureseffective for account privileges and similar access control as describedherein without undue experimentation. See, e.g., structural componentsto which the enclosed Information Disclosure Statement (in form1449A/PTO or substitute filed herewith as another component of theinstant application) refers, several of which publications describeauthorization features in detail.

Operation 4357 describes obtaining a virtual guest initiation controlparameter proactively establishing a first guest period starting after aprogrammatic delay of more than one second (e.g. decision module 2152generating a control parameter 1445 establishing a nominal time 1383 atwhich a guest user account 1301 will automatically be activated that ismore than an hour or more than a day in the future). This can occur, forexample, in a context in which a host user (party 401, e.g.) providesuser input 1372 (a menu selection 1435, e.g.) that specifies orotherwise defines the nominal time 1383. In a context in which atemporary guest user account 1301 is being established on mobile device440 for the benefit of an out-of-town guest, for example, the nominaltime 1383 at which such access will begin (coinciding with a beginningof a lease of a vehicle or hotel room, e.g.) can be communicated inadvance of nominal time 1383. This can occur in a context in which suchguest may wish to purchase an earlier beginning time, for example, or torely upon the use of guest user account 1301 thereafter in scheduling atelephonic appointment while staying in a foreign city. Alternatively oradditionally, the mobile device 440 may be configured to include one ormore guest convenience control features 1332 such as a key ring bearinga vehicle key or room key, e.g.). Alternatively or additionally,decision module 2152 may be configured as or operably coupled with aguest session scheduling module 3182 configured to perform (anotherinstance of) operation 4357.

Operation 4401 describes deciding whether or not to execute a responseprotocol mapped to a first recipient party identifier and to aphone-call context (e.g. recognition module 2241 invoking a responseprotocol 611 that is conditional upon an incoming communicationcomprising a phone call 521 and upon a party identifier 610 signalingthat the communication is directed to Susan). This can occur, forexample, in a context 651 in which the phone call 521 manifests thecommunication; in which a digitally expressed component of the phonecall 521 includes a party identifier 610 associated with Susan; in whichevent-sequencing logic 500, 2200 is operably coupled with tangibledata-handling media 600 described herein; and in which response protocol611 would not otherwise be invoked. In light of teachings herein,numerous existing techniques may be applied for configuringspecial-purpose circuitry or other structures effective for implementingvarious response protocols 611-615, 621-625, 631-635 as described hereinwithout undue experimentation. See, e.g., structural components to whichthe enclosed Information Disclosure Statement (in form 1449A/PTO orsubstitute filed herewith as another component of the instantapplication) refers, several of which publications describe contingentresponse protocols in detail.

Operation 4402 describes deciding whether or not to execute a secondresponse protocol mapped to the first recipient party identifier and toa human-readable-text-transmission context (e.g. recognition module 2242implementing a response protocol 612 that is conditional upon anincoming communication comprising text 522 and upon a party identifier610 signaling that the communication is directed to Susan).

Operation 4403 describes deciding whether or not to execute a responseprotocol mapped to a second recipient party identifier and to thephone-call context (e.g. recognition module 2243 implementing a responseprotocol 621 that is conditional upon an incoming communicationcomprising a phone call and upon a party identifier 620 signaling thatthe communication is directed to someone other than Susan).

Operation 4404 describes deciding whether or not to execute a responseprotocol mapped to the second recipient party identifier and to thehuman-readable-text-transmission context (e.g. recognition module 2244implementing a response protocol 622 that is conditional upon anincoming communication comprising text and upon a party identifier 620signaling that the communication is directed to someone other thanSusan).

In some variants, with respect to mobile device experimentation, themobile device may schedule or initiate at least one experimentationround based at least partially on any of the following: (a) in thebackground while other automations progress, (b) at timed intervals orif a certain amount of time elapses, (c) if signal quality drops below acertain level, (d) if a certain amount of movement (such astranslational, rotational, or a combination thereof, etc.) is detected(such as using an inertial measurement unit (IMU) or GPS unit), (e) at aknown or determinable boundary for a physical state entry of an antennaconfiguration data structure (such as which may include aparameter-to-physical state data structure), (f) if the mobile device isapproaching a known or determinable boundary for a physical state entryof an antenna configuration data structure, (g) predictively (such asbased at least partly on (i) predicting a certain amount of movement issoon to occur, (ii) predicting that a boundary crossing into a physicalstate that corresponds to a different physical state entry of an antennaconfiguration data structure, or a combination thereof, etc.), or ahybrid that includes any one or more of these. However, claimed subjectmatter is not limited to any particular described embodiments,implementations, examples, etc.

In some variants, with respect to mobile device experimentation,experimentation may be constrained responsive to one or more conditionalparameters. By way of example only, parameter options/possibilities tobe tested may be constrained based at least partially on power usage.For instance, the mobile device may intend to enable wirelesscommunication with at least one bases station, but limit power outputfor such wireless communication to a particular power level (such as 100mW). A battery may set limits or establish specified guidelines thatconstrain power usage, including but not limited to constraining powerusage/charge drain over time. Accordingly, an experimentation module maytrade (i) a selection of wireless standard being used or (ii) frequencyor bandwidth of searching, for example, (instead of or in addition totransmit power) with power drain. Moreover, as another example, a powerconstraint may be selectively applied based at least partly on time ofday or predicted time until a battery will next be charged. Forinstance, whether or to what stringency a power constraint is appliedmay depend on a time of day. Accordingly, there may be a greater concernon battery drain earlier in a day as compared to later when rechargingtypically occurs (a typical temporal pattern of charging—such as aroundnoon in a car as well as starting at around midnight with a walloutlet—may also or alternatively be considered). From an alternativeperspective, a battery level may be considered as a condition forascertaining at least one associated antenna assembly configurationparameter (such as if selecting a wireless communication mode—or a groupof wireless communication parameters). However, claimed subject matteris not limited to any particular described embodiments, implementations,examples, etc.

In some variants, an antenna configuration data structure may haveseparate entries for, or otherwise denote a difference between, uplinkversus downlink. Appropriate uplink and downlink communicationparameters may differ because multipath may affect the mobile devicemore than a base transceiver station, because different frequencies maybe assigned to uplink versus downlink communications, or a hybrid thatincludes any one or more of these. However, claimed subject matter isnot limited to any particular described embodiments, implementations,examples, etc.

In some variants, with respect to receiving commands or data at themobile device from a base transceiver station, the mobile device maycooperate with the base transceiver station to obtain one or morewireless communication parameters. First, the base transceiver stationmay send to the mobile device or the mobile device may receive from thebase transceiver station one or more wireless communication parametersthat the mobile device may adopt. Second, the base transceiver stationmay send to the mobile device or the mobile device may receive from thebase transceiver station at least some reception data from a perspectiveof the base transceiver station for the mobile device to incorporateinto an automation process ascertaining what wireless communicationparameters are to be implemented. Third, the mobile device and the basetransceiver station may negotiate to determine a direction of a wirelesssignal that enables a reflection of a wireless signal off of an objectbetween the mobile device and the base transceiver station (such as abank shot may be planned and implemented) to facilitate signalpropagation between the mobile device and the base transceiver station.Conducting a signal bank shot may be facilitated by using, for example,a 3D map depicting walls, furniture, terrain, vehicles, people, etc.,and one or more reflection coefficients for proximate objects thatindicate how or to what extent signals of particular frequencies can beexpected to reflect off of an object. Cooperation between two wirelessnodes may encompass, for example, any one or more of the above. However,claimed subject matter is not limited to any particular describedembodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

In some variants, a data structure may link one or more wirelesscommunication parameters with a given physical state of the mobiledevice. Thus, if the mobile device knows its spatial location (such asin terms of GPS coordinates or placement within a 3D map of a building),a group of wireless communication parameters (such as a set of antennaelements and respective phase delays) to be adopted to communicate witha particular base transceiver station may be ascertained from datastructure. For certain example implementations, an orientation of themobile device may be part of an input physical state to ascertainassociated wireless communication parameters (such as if an orientationis expected to be user-determined autonomously). Alternatively, anorientation of the mobile device may be part of a group of wirelesscommunication parameters that are output based on an e.g. spatiallocation of the mobile device (such as if the mobile device is expectedto indicate to a user a particular mobile-device-orientation offeringenhanced communication—which may be especially pertinent, for instance,if the mobile device is not being held during use, such as when a userhas a wired or wireless headset, or if a user is sitting in a chair thatswivels).

In some variants, an antenna configuration data structure may includeone or more entries having a physical state field that is associatedwith or linked to a field having a group of wireless communicationparameters. However, a data structure may additionally or alternativelyinclude one or more of the following conditions or potential inputs: (a)prediction of an upcoming physical state, (b) a power availability at atransmitter or a receiver (or a power usage constraint), (c) a spatiallocation (or orientation) of the base transceiver station, (d) anavailability of one or more personal auxiliary relay items, (e) a timeof day, (f) other, potentially-interfering wireless traffic that isknown of through self-detection or notification, (g) an expected radioactivity (such as is a data intensive activity, such as media streaming,anticipated?), (h) a device type for the mobile device, (i) one or moreantenna characteristics of the mobile device (such as a feasible beampattern, a polarization sensitivity, a frequency response, an impedance,or a combination thereof, etc.), (j) a frequency band, (k) a signalencoding, (l) one or more environmental factors (such ashumidity—certain frequencies propagate less well than others in higherhumidity (such as 50 GHz signals attenuate in the presence of water),temperature, physical barriers—stationary or moving, approachingdevices, or a combination thereof, etc.), or a hybrid that includes anyone or more of these. However, claimed subject matter is not limited toany particular described embodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

In some variants, a wireless node may develop an antenna configurationdata structure. By way of example only, a wireless node may store orrecord a physical state along with a corresponding signal quality inassociation with each other in a data structure. A physical state maycorrespond to a currently-existing physical state, a recently-testedphysical state, or a hybrid that includes any one or more of these. Forcertain example implementations, an updated association may be stored ifthere are certain amounts of change to (i) a physical state or (ii)signal quality or if a certain amount of (iii) time has elapsed, or ahybrid that includes any one or more of these. Additionally oralternatively, for certain example implementations, a wireless node mayreplace or add to an existing entry if a new group of wirelesscommunication parameters are discovered for a given physical state thatprovides superior signal quality. For certain example implementations,an entry of an antenna configuration data structure may include a timestamp representing when a value was determining, the mobile device ordevice type identifier of the mobile device that determined or was asource of a value, or a hybrid that includes any one or more of these.However, claimed subject matter is not limited to any particulardescribed embodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

In some variants, new values for entries may be determined viainterpolation or extrapolation from values associated with otherphysical states. For example, if data is available (such as fromexperimentation in transmit or receive postures) with respect tomultiple tested orientations, it may be predicted how well antennaelements (or other wireless communication parameters) will work at otherorientations. Additionally or alternatively, if data is available withrespect to multiple tested spatial locations (including if a 3D map of aroom is accessible or if know directional capabilities of an antenna),it may be predicted how well antenna elements (or other wirelesscommunication parameters) will perform at other spatial locations. Evenwithout a 3D map, if there are a sufficient number of measurements, thenvalues for other, untested spatial locations may be predicted. Forinstance, if data values are available from several different pathstaken by the mobile device around a room, then the mobile device canpredict data values for other points in the room. For certain exampleimplementations, one or more entries an antenna configuration datastructure may have an indicator that a value is predicted, an indicatorthat a value has a particular level of reliability, or a hybrid thatincludes any one or more of these.

In some variants, network-side actors may acquire, build, create,maintain, share, or disseminate (or a combination thereof, e.g.) atleast a portion of an antenna configuration data structure. Network-sideactors may include, by way of example but not limitation, a cloud-basedactor, an internet actor, a telecommunications service provider, atelecommunications equipment supplier, or a hybrid that includes any oneor more of these. In some variants, network-side actors may acquire datafully or partially from the mobile device. For certain exampleimplementations, the following data may be received from the mobiledevice: at least a portion of a physical state, one or more wirelesscommunication parameters that were employed during the existence of thephysical state, and corresponding signal quality. Additionally oralternatively, for certain example implementations, the following datamay be received from the mobile device: physical state and wirelesscommunication parameters that were employed during the existence of thephysical state, and the following data may be received from acounterpart wireless node (such as the base transceiver station): signalquality based on a network-side reception.

In some variants, a network-side actor may send to the mobile device orthe mobile device may receive from a network-side actor one or moreportions of an antenna configuration data structure so as to download acacheable part thereof For certain example implementations, a part maybe downloaded, or offered for download, based at least partially on anyone or more of the following: (a) current spatial location; (b) physicalstate; (c) predicted spatial location; (d) predicted physical state; (e)device type, make, model, specifications, or combination thereof, etc.(such as memory capability, at least one user setting, or a specificphysical antenna array traits, or a combination thereof, etc.); (f) aproximity to a boundary of current cached part (such as including, butnot limited to, a consideration of predicted movement toward a boundarythereof); some combination thereof, or a hybrid that includes any one ormore of these.

In some variants, a portable wireless node may account for or addressenvironmental factors or concerns pertinent to wireless communicationat, e.g., EHF. For certain example implementations, to avoidtransmission through a human body, human tissue (such as hand, head, ora combination thereof, e.g.) may be detected using one or more of thefollowing: (a) test beam emanation (such as analyze reflections fromtest beams), (b) a capacitive sensor (such as of a touchscreen), (c) aproximity detector (such as a light sensor), (d) a pressure sensor (suchas determine where finger tips are placed), (e) a sound sensor (such asdetermine where a user's mouth is located), or a hybrid that includesany one or more of these.

In some embodiments, a handheld device 440 or other portable wirelessnode may interact with another portable wireless node (configured as anauxiliary relay item in a shoe or hat or other wearable article, e.g.)via a local linkage (Bluetooth®, e.g.). For certain exampleimplementations, such auxiliary relay items may be engaged or utilizedfor any one or more of the following reasons: (a) a clearer path toanother wireless node (such as to avoid a head or other human tissue oranother blocking object), (b) more power availability, (c) more ordifferently-arranged antenna elements on the auxiliary relay item, (d) adifferent available frequency or wireless communication standard, or ahybrid that includes any one or more of these. By way of example only, aportable wireless node may roll over to an auxiliary relay item torelocate transmission power away from a head or if throughput dropswhere a user is currently holding a portable wireless node. For certainexample implementations: (1) a portable wireless node may select betweenor among one or more auxiliary relay items (such as may determine whenit is advisable to fallback to an auxiliary relay item using a protocolfor communication between the mobile device and an auxiliary relayitem); (2) an auxiliary relay item may be creating/using/updating anantenna configuration data structure in conjunction with or independentof a portable wireless node; (3) a spatial location of a wearableauxiliary relay item may be determine based at least partly on anattachment site to a body part; (4) a system may automatically determinepresence/absence or location of wearable auxiliary relay items; (5)searches for suitable antenna configuration parameters by an auxiliaryrelay item may be constrained by battery power (such aspower/battery-related technology described herein with respect to aportable wireless node may be applied to an auxiliary relay item, unlesscontext dictates otherwise); (6) if multiple items are linked so as toenable or merely enhance communication or user functions if they areworking together, then one or more of the multiple items may alert (suchas visually, audibly, haptically, or a combination thereof, e.g.) ifthey are separated from each other beyond a threshold distance (such asbeyond a range which enables using them together, such as if a user isdriving away from a house with one of two interacting components); orsome combination thereof.

In some variants, technologies described herein may be directly apparentto a user in one or more ways. For certain example implementations, aportable wireless node may offer a user one or more settings: (a) a sizeof a data structure being cached, (b) a slider or other mechanism toindicate between battery consumption versus signal acquisition orenhancement, (c) a slider or other mechanism to indicate between anacceptable energy radiation level (such as exposure to a body or headportion thereof) versus signal quality or bandwidth throughput, (d)ability to activate/sync/configure an auxiliary relay item (such asinput a type), or a hybrid that includes any one or more of these. Forcertain example implementations, a user may indicate a desire to benotified of (such as via at least one setting): (a) a position ororientation option for a portable wireless node that offers improvedcommunication (such as more bandwidth, less power, less interference,lower cost, or a combination thereof, e.g.), (b) an impending signalloss (such as if movement continues along a current direction based onsignal degradation or entries in an antenna configuration datastructure), or a hybrid that includes any one or more of these. Forcertain example implementations, notifications may be delivered by aportable wireless node to a user audibly, haptically, visually, or acombination thereof, e.g. for indicating a differentposition/orientation, impending signal loss, or a hybrid that includesany one or more of these.

In some variants, an extremely high frequency (EHF) communication (suchas at 30-300 GHz, such as at 60 GHz in accordance with IEEE 802.11ad)may be conducted by wireless node that is also capable of utilizingother frequency bands or other wireless communication standards. Tofacilitate such interoperability, a wireless node may determine (i)whether or when to switch to another frequency band or another wirelesscommunication standard or (ii) whether or when to share bandwidthdemands with another frequency band or another wireless communicationstandard. For certain example implementations, other frequency bands mayinclude, but are not limited to, (a) 2.4 GHz, 3.6 GHz, 5 GHz, or acombination thereof, e.g.; (b) 700/800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHZ, 1700/1900MHz, 2500 MHz, 3500 MHz, or a combination thereof, e.g.; or a hybridthat includes any one or more of these. For certain exampleimplementations, other wireless communication standards may include, butare not limited to, (a) IEEE 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11a, 802.11n,802.11ac, or a combination thereof, e.g.; (b) GSM/EDGE, CDMA, UMTS/HSPA,LTE, WiMAX; or a hybrid that includes any one or more of these. However,claimed subject matter is not limited to any particular describedembodiments, implementations, examples, e.g.

In some variants, a wireless node may choose to switch frequency orwireless standard or may choose to share communication across two ormore frequencies or wireless standards. For certain exampleimplementations, one or more of a number of factors may be consideredfor switching versus sharing decisions. First, a wireless node mayswitch if another frequency band or standard can handle currentbandwidth demands while a current one cannot. Second, a wireless nodemay switch if another frequency band or standard has a lower, or atleast no higher, cost. Third, a wireless node may switch if a currentfrequency is experiencing attenuation but another frequency is likelynot to experience the same attenuation (such as if body tissue iscurrently attenuating a 60 GHz signal, but the mobile device can switchto a lower frequency signal below 10 GHz). Fourth, a wireless node mayshare bandwidth demands if a current frequency or standard is notproviding a sufficiently fast or strong connection, but anotherfrequency or standard has a higher cost or insufficient bandwidthcapability to meet current bandwidth demands. Additional or alternativefactors for deciding between switching and sharing may be considered.For certain example implementations, one or more of a number of factorsmay prompt a wireless node to consider sharing or switching. First, asignal quality may drop below a threshold using a current frequency orstandard. Second, no group of wireless communication parameters offeringsuperior performance may be determinable by a wireless node viaexperimentation. Third, no entry in a wireless communicationconfiguration data structure for a current or impending physical state(or set of conditions generally) may be ascertained. Additional oralternative factors for deciding whether to consider switching versussharing may be incorporated into a wireless node's automation. However,claimed subject matter is not limited to any particular describedembodiments, implementations, examples, e.g.

In some variants, a coordinated management system may be implementedwhere multiple wireless nodes occupy a given physical region, with themanagement system coordinating various signal strengths, antennadirections, polarizations, features, or a hybrid that includes any oneor more of these. Coordination may enable a greater number of nodeswithin or a more efficient use of available spectrum within a givenphysical region. However, claimed subject matter is not limited to anyparticular described embodiments, implementations, examples, e.g.

In some variants, a coordinated management system may be constituted ina centralized or a distributed manner. For a centralized coordinatedmanagement system, in accordance with certain example implementations,an access point, the base transceiver station, a mobile switchingcenter, a fixed wireless node, an internet node, a telecom node, or acombination thereof, e.g., may coordinate a number of portable wirelessnodes across a single “cell” or multiple cells. For a distributedcoordinated management system, in accordance with certain exampleimplementations, two or more portable wireless nodes, separately from orin conjunction with at least one network-infrastructure-based node—suchas a fixed wireless node or a telecom node or an internet node, maycoordinate their own individual wireless signals. Coordination may bebased at least partially on their own sensor readings, including but notlimited to received signals, or based at least partially on usingcoordination-specific data received from or exchanged with otherportable wireless nodes or with a fixed wireless nodes, such as the basetransceiver station. For a hybrid coordinated management system, inaccordance with certain example implementations, there may be somedecentralized efforts by portable wireless nodes with overarchingefforts by one or more network-infrastructure-based nodes forcentralized oversight. However, claimed subject matter is not limited toany particular described embodiments, implementations, examples, etc.

In some variants, one or more factors may be separately or jointlyconsidered in conjunction with, or as part of, an analysis to facilitatecoordination. First, available frequency bands (in a given region or toa particular portable wireless node) may be considered. Different bandshave different amounts or levels of absorption or other loss,dispersion, scattering, reflection, or a hybrid that includes any one ormore of these. By way of example only, 60 GHz typically has moreattenuation than 5 GHz. Thus, although 60 GHz generally propagates arelatively shorter distance, it can correspondingly be reused in smallerspaces. At 60 GHz, reflections may enable “bank shots” off of proximateobjects. Two devices may determine to perform a bank shot vianegotiation, or a centralized coordinator may order them to perform one.Furthermore, devices transmitting at higher frequencies may utilizesmaller antenna elements that accommodate their smaller/shorterwavelengths. A physical size of a particular wavelength aperture maygenerally be smaller at higher frequencies. Relatively smaller devicescan therefore implement beamforming at 60 GHz, for example, even if theywould be unable to do so at 1800 MHz, or even 5 GHz. Second,governmental restrictions may be considered. In some contexts statutesor regulations may stipulate or require certain transmission maximums orreception capabilities. By way of example only, a signal strength may belimited at particular frequencies. Third, licensing constraints (such aswith regard to available frequencies or particular uses thereof) may beconsidered. Licensing constraints may flow from a governmental entity,from a corporation to the mobile device or mobile device user (such ascontractual obligations), or a hybrid that includes any one or more ofthese. Fourth, different or particular device types in a given physicalregion that are trying to share spectrum may be considered. For example,“permanent” characteristics may be considered: (a) antenna features(such as beam pattern capabilities, polarization sensitivity, frequencyresponse, impedance, or a combination thereof, e.g.), (b) processingcapability, or a hybrid that includes any one or more of these. Asanother example, current settings of a device (such as user-establishedsettings, OS-specified settings, app-determined settings, or acombination thereof, e.g.) may be considered: (a) frequency selectionfrom among multiple possible frequencies, (b) signal encoding selectionfrom among multiple possible encoding schemes, (c) user-imposedrestraints (such as based on cost, power, battery life, or a combinationthereof, e.g.), or a hybrid that includes any one or more of these. Asyet another example, current status levels or conditions of a device maybe considered: (a) signal to noise ratio (SNR), (b) signal strength, (c)power constraints or battery status, (d) available processing bandwidth,(e) location, (f) expected radio activity level (such as whether anactivity is anticipated to be data intensive (e.g. media streaming)),(g) orientation, (h) operating state (such as connected to a Wi-Finetwork or not, access through near field communication (NFC), or acombination thereof, e.g.), or a hybrid that includes any one or more ofthese. Fifth, environmental characteristics may be considered. Forexample, physical barriers (such as walls, trees, billboards, etc.;those obtainable from one or more Google Earth or crowd-sourced 3Dbuilding data or other maps; or a combination thereof; etc.) may beconsidered. Other environmental characteristics may include, but are notlimited to, other approaching devices (such as their locations ortransmitting characteristics), humidity, temperature, or a hybrid thatincludes any one or more of these. However, claimed subject matter isnot limited to any particular described embodiments, implementations,examples, etc.

In some variants, coordination opportunities may include, but are notlimited to, bank shots or beamforming. First, bank shots may be plannedor implemented between at least two wireless nodes to avoid a wall orother obstacle, if a vehicle is detected to be approaching and will betemporarily block a line-of-sight transmission path, or a hybrid thatincludes any one or more of these. Second, beamforming may be achievedwith, by way of example but not limitation, an antenna with multipleelements, a phased array, a meta-material antenna, or a hybrid thatincludes any one or more of these. An aimed beam may reach a target withless relative power (such as in comparison to an omnidirectionaltransmission a beam may reach a further distance (with a narrowerfootprint) using a same power level). Further with respect tocoordination, an omnidirectional transmission may be used if a target orcounterpart wireless node is moving (or if a transmitting node ismoving), but beamforming may be used if a target is stationary (orslowly moving) (or if a transmitting node is not moving). Aiming a beammay be accomplished through “trial and error”. As a first example,multiple beams may be sent out (such as fully or partiallysimultaneously or over time) with different indicators, and an intendedrecipient may be asked for an indicator that they received strongest todetermine a good beam pattern for that recipient. As a second example,two nodes may send out beams until they connect. As a third example, awireless node may sweep beams circularly until a directional angle (suchas azimuth angle) is discovered that makes contact with an intendedwireless target, and a wireless node may then slice up or down until ithones in to find an elevation or a zenith angle. However, claimedsubject matter is not limited to any particular described embodiments,implementations, examples, etc.

In some variants, at least one sensor may sense, produce, or otherwiseprovide one or more sensor values (as a series of estimates or otherdigital signal, e.g.). Sensors may include, by way of example only, acamera, a microphone, an accelerometer, a thermometer, a satellitepositioning system (SPS) sensor, a barometer, a humidity sensor, acompass, an altimeter, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, a pressure sensor,an oscillation detector, a light sensor, an inertial measurement unit(IMU), a tactile sensor, a touch sensor, a flexibility sensor, amicroelectromechanical system (MEMS), or a hybrid that includes any oneor more of these. Values provided by at least one sensor 1174 mayinclude, by way of example but not limitation, an image/video, a soundrecording, an acceleration value, a temperature, one or more SPScoordinates, a barometric pressure, a humidity level, a compassdirection, an altitude, a gyroscopic value, a magnetic reading, apressure value, an oscillation value, an ambient light reading, inertialreadings, touch detections, finger placements, flex detections, or ahybrid that includes any one or more of these.

Referring again to the flow variants of FIGS. 37-44 described above andin particular to flow 3700, operation 3701 may be performed by one ormore special-purpose modules implemented as or operably coupled withcircuitry 3510 having an event-sequencing structure (an arrangement ofnumerous transistors and electrical nodes 921 at decision-indicativevoltage levels, e.g.) constructed and arranged to cause (to enable ortrigger or directly perform or delegate, e.g.) an inclusion of one ormore reference values 3332 in a first record of a first communicationfrom first equipment (e.g. in a database or file that aggregates recordsof such communications from device 3640 or from network 3691) in adata-handling medium 3300 residing in second equipment (in a memory 337or other data handling component of device 3621 or of network 3692,e.g.). Alternatively or additionally, operation 3701 may be implementedwith bump technology (triggered by devices of the first and secondequipment coming into contact, e.g.) or a near-field communication (viaa radio-frequency signal directly from device 3640 to device 3621,e.g.).

Also in such variants, operation 3702 may be performed by aspecial-purpose response module implemented as or operably coupled withcircuitry 3520 having an event-sequencing structure constructed andarranged to transmit (to generate or relay or redirect, e.g.) a secondcommunication (text or broadcast or call establishment request, e.g.) toa first mobile device 3640 configured to be shared by two or moreparties 401, 402, 403 conditionally, partly based on an indication ofuser action (input or other user expression detected via a camera 2801or other sensor 2805 in event-sequencing logic 2800 of device 3621 or innetwork 3692, e.g.) and partly based on an indication of the one or morereference values 3332 in the first record of the first communicationfrom the first equipment matching an index of a second record resultingfrom the first communication. This can occur, for example, in a contextin which the first equipment comprises the first mobile device 3640.Alternatively or additionally, device 3621 may include an instance ofconfiguration module 2544 configured to perform operation 3702 bytransmitting a “second” communication 3632 that another component onlyrelays to device 3640 if the two or more indications are present.Moreover in some variants one or more such indications 1044-1046 may beprovided by an external entity (as a part of a “third” communicationreceived by event-sequencing logic 3500, e.g.). Alternatively oradditionally, event-sequencing logic 3500 may (optionally) be operablycoupled with other event-sequencing logic 100, 200, 500, 700, 800, 900,1000, 1700, 1800, 1900, 2000, 2200, 2300, 2400, 2500, 2600, 2700, 2800,3100, 3200 described herein. In some variants, moreover, the one or morecomponents 3001, 3002 of such communications may occur in regard todevice 321 (configured as a legacy cellular telephone, e.g.) in a mannerthat is transparent to a user thereof (in which the remote device doesnot receive or present any indication that any device identifiersassociated with Susan's transmission are virtual, e.g.). Alternativelyor additionally, wireless linkage 3697 may be configured to implement abidirectional communication (comprising two component communications3033, 3034 as described above, e.g.).

The foregoing detailed description has set forth various embodiments ofthe devices and/or processes via the use of block diagrams, flowcharts,and/or examples. Insofar as such block diagrams, flowcharts, and/orexamples contain one or more functions and/or operations, it will beunderstood by those within the art that each function and/or operationwithin such block diagrams, flowcharts, or examples can be implemented,individually and/or collectively, by a wide range of hardware, software,firmware, or virtually any combination thereof. In one embodiment,several portions of the subject matter described herein may beimplemented via Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), FieldProgrammable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs), orother integrated formats. However, those skilled in the art willrecognize that some aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein, inwhole or in part, can be equivalently implemented in integratedcircuits, as one or more computer programs running on one or morecomputers (e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more computersystems), as one or more programs running on one or more processors(e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more microprocessors),as firmware, or as virtually any combination thereof, and that designingthe circuitry and/or writing the code for the software and or firmwarewould be well within the skill of one of skill in the art in light ofthis disclosure. In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciatethat the mechanisms of the subject matter described herein are capableof being distributed as a program product in a variety of forms, andthat an illustrative embodiment of the subject matter described hereinapplies regardless of the particular type of signal bearing medium usedto actually carry out the distribution. Examples of a signal bearingmedium include, but are not limited to, the following: a recordable typemedium such as a floppy disk, a hard disk drive, a Compact Disc (CD), aDigital Video Disk (DVD), a digital tape, a computer memory, etc.; and atransmission type medium such as a digital and/or an analogcommunication medium (e.g., a fiber optic cable, a waveguide, a wiredcommunications link, a wireless communication link (e.g., transmitter,receiver, transmission logic, reception logic, etc.), etc.).

While particular aspects of the present subject matter described hereinhave been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled inthe art that, based upon the teachings herein, changes and modificationsmay be made without departing from the subject matter described hereinand its broader aspects and, therefore, the appended claims are toencompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as arewithin the true spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein.It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, termsused herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of theappended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term“including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” theterm “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term“includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,”etc.).

It will be further understood by those within the art that if a specificnumber of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intentwill be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of suchrecitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid tounderstanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of theintroductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claimrecitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed toimply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinitearticles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing suchintroduced claim recitation to claims containing only one suchrecitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases“one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or“an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should typically be interpreted to mean “atleast one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use ofdefinite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, evenif a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitlyrecited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitationshould typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number(e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without othermodifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or morerecitations).

Furthermore, in those instances where a convention analogous to “atleast one of A, B, and C, etc.” is used, in general such a constructionis intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understandthe convention (e.g.,” a system having at least one of A, B, and C”would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone,C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A,B, and C together, etc.). In those instances where a conventionanalogous to “at least one of A, B, or C, etc.” is used, in general sucha construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the artwould understand the convention (e.g.,“a system having at least one ofA, B, or C” would include but not be limited to systems that have Aalone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and Ctogether, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). It will be furtherunderstood by those within the art that typically a disjunctive wordand/or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in thedescription, claims, or drawings, should be understood to contemplatethe possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, orboth terms unless context dictates otherwise. For example, the phrase “Aor B” will be typically understood to include the possibilities of “A”or “B” or “A and B.”

This application may make reference to one or more trademarks, e.g., aword, letter, symbol, or device adopted by one manufacturer or merchantand used to identify and/or distinguish his or her product from those ofothers. Trademark names used herein are set forth in such language thatmakes clear their identity, that distinguishes them from commondescriptive nouns, that have fixed and definite meanings, or, in many ifnot all cases, are accompanied by other specific identification usingterms not covered by trademark. In addition, trademark names used hereinhave meanings that are well-known and defined in the literature, or donot refer to products or compounds for which knowledge of one or moretrade secrets is required in order to divine their meaning. Alltrademarks referenced in this application are the property of theirrespective owners, and the appearance of one or more trademarks in thisapplication does not diminish or otherwise adversely affect the validityof the one or more trademarks. All trademarks, registered orunregistered, that appear in this application are assumed to include aproper trademark symbol, e.g., the circle R or bracketed capitalization(e.g., [trademark name]), even when such trademark symbol does notexplicitly appear next to the trademark. To the extent a trademark isused in a descriptive manner to refer to a product or process, thattrademark should be interpreted to represent the corresponding productor process as of the date of the filing of this patent application.

With respect to the appended claims, those skilled in the art willappreciate that recited operations therein may generally be performed inany order. Also, although various operational flows are presented in asequence(s), it should be understood that the various operations may beperformed in other orders than those which are illustrated, or may beperformed concurrently. Examples of such alternate orderings may includeoverlapping, interleaved, interrupted, reordered, incremental,preparatory, supplemental, simultaneous, reverse, or other variantorderings, unless context dictates otherwise. Furthermore, terms like“responsive to,” “related to,” or other past-tense adjectives aregenerally not intended to exclude such variants, unless context dictatesotherwise. Also in the numbered clauses below, specific combinations ofaspects and embodiments are articulated in a shorthand form such that(1) according to respective embodiments, for each instance in which a“component” or other such identifiers appear to be introduced (with “a”or “an,” e.g.) more than once in a given chain of clauses, suchdesignations may either identify the same entity or distinct entities;and (2) what might be called “dependent” clauses below may or may notincorporate, in respective embodiments, the features of “independent”clauses to which they refer or other features described above.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the foregoing specificexemplary processes and/or devices and/or technologies arerepresentative of more general processes and/or devices and/ortechnologies taught elsewhere herein, such as in the claims filedherewith and/or elsewhere in the present application.

CLAUSES 1. A communication system comprising:

one or more articles of manufacture including

transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to cause aninclusion of a reference value in a first record of a firstcommunication from first equipment in a data-handling medium of secondequipment; and

transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit a secondcommunication to a first mobile device configured to be shared by two ormore parties that include a first party and a second partyconditionally, partly based on an indication of user action at thesecond equipment and partly based on an indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching an index of a second record resulting from the firstcommunication, the first equipment comprising the first mobile device.

2. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

the index of the second record resulting from the first communicationbeing a serial alphanumeric record identifier.

3. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to cause theinclusion of the reference value in the first record of the firstcommunication from the first equipment in the data-handling medium ofthe second equipment including an electrical node set upon which avoltage configuration manifests the reference value.

4. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication including an electrical node set upon which avoltage configuration manifests a component of the second communicationidentifying a first subset of the two or more parties to whom the secondcommunication is directed, the second communication to the first mobiledevice not being directed to a remainder of the two or more parties.

5. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication including an electrical node set upon which avoltage configuration manifests a current balance in an active accountassociated with a first subset of the two or more parties, the activeaccount not being associated with a remainder of the two or moreparties.

6. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication including an electrical node set upon which avoltage configuration manifests a first component of the firstcommunication.

7. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

an integrated circuit (IC) chip, the IC chip having a first portion anda second portion, the first portion of the IC chip being thetransistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to cause theinclusion of the reference value in the first record of the firstcommunication from the first equipment in the data-handling medium ofthe second equipment, the second portion of the IC chip being thetransistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication.

8. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication, the indication of the reference value in the firstrecord of the first communication from the first equipment matching theindex of the second record resulting from the first communication havingbeen received from third equipment, the second equipment being remotefrom the first equipment and from the second equipment.

9. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication being responsive to whether or not any one of thetwo or more parties has been designated as a default user of the firstmobile device configured to be shared by the two or more parties.

10. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to include a thirdparty identifier in the second communication if the first communicationindicates a third party and to exclude the third party identifier fromthe second communication if the first communication does not indicatethe third party, the third party being one of the two or more parties.

11. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication, the second communication being unidirectional.

12. The communication system of any of SYSTEM CLAUSES 1-10 furthercomprising:

the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication, the second communication being bidirectional.

13. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication wherein the second communication includes anaccount-specific header that identifies a first subset of the two ormore parties to whom the second communication is directed.

14. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication wherein the second communication identifies a firstsubset of the two or more parties indicated in the first communication.

15. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication being responsive to a determination whether or notthe first communication lacks a party indication tag.

16. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication including at least

-   -   transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to post a        charge for a component of the second communication to a first        account specifically associated with a particular subset of the        two or more parties.

17. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication including at least

-   -   transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to request        that a remote entity provide a user subset identification tag        that corresponds with a virtual device identifier, the user        subset identification tag identifying a first subset of the two        or more parties.

18. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication including at least

-   -   transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to request a        retrieval of a particular tag by invoking a remote lookup        operation, the particular tag being a component of the second        communication that identifies the first mobile device.

19. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication including at least

-   -   transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to cause the        first mobile device configured to be shared by the two or more        parties to undergo a wireless linkage handover to or from a        wireless local area network (WLAN) hotspot.

20. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication including at least

-   -   transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to implement        a virtual device identifier recognition module in firmware of a        particular device, the particular device being or not being the        first mobile device configured to be shared by the two or more        parties.

21. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication including at least

-   -   transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to map a        response protocol comprising an operational parameter to a        specific recipient party identifier and to a context of a        specific communication having an identified initiator, the        specific communication being the first communication.

22. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication including at least

-   -   transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to configure        a particular routing tag as a telephone number associated with a        land line, the particular routing tag being associated with the        two or more parties that include the first party and the second        party.

23. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication including at least

-   -   transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to configure        a wireless transmission to include an interpersonal text message        as a first component of the second communication.

24. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication including at least

-   -   transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to configure        a wireless transmission to include a channel establishment        request as a component of the second communication.

25. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication including at least

-   -   transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to associate        a handset with a specific routing tag in the second equipment,        the handset being the first mobile device configured to be        shared by the two or more parties.

26. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication including at least

-   -   transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to obtain a        digitally expressed determination whether or not an integer is        evenly divisible by X as a component of obtaining an indication        whether or not an entity identifier is apparently independent,        X>1, the integer being a component of the entity identifier, the        digitally expressed determination comprising an intrinsic        property of the entity identifier, the entity identifier        referring to the first mobile device configured to be shared by        the two or more parties.

27. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication including at least

-   -   transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to initiate        an investigation protocol effective to determine whether or not        a physical destination corresponding to a digital identifier can        be found, the physical destination comprising the first mobile        device configured to be shared by the two or more parties.

28. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication including at least

-   -   transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to identify        the first party with a first virtual mobile number that        corresponds to a single real mobile number that uniquely        identifies a portable device; and    -   transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to identify        the second party with a second virtual mobile number that        corresponds to the single real mobile number that uniquely        identifies the portable device, the portable device being the        first mobile device configured to be shared by the two or more        parties.

29. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication including at least

-   -   transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to map a        response protocol comprising an operational parameter to a        specific recipient party identifier and to a specific anonymous        communication context, the specific recipient party identifier        identifying a sender of or an initiator of the first        communication.

30. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication including at least

-   -   transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to configure        a component of one or more processors in the second equipment        with a specific voltage configuration that manifests a        device-executable response protocol to trigger the second        communication.

31. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication including at least

-   -   transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to execute a        real-time response to user input at a particular device that        comprises terminating a temporary virtual guest privilege before        a guest period previously assigned to the particular device        expires automatically, the particular device being the first        mobile device configured to be shared by the two or more        parties.

32. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication including at least

-   -   transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to obtain a        virtual guest initiation control parameter proactively        establishing a first guest period starting after a programmatic        delay of more than one second at the first mobile device.

33. The communication system of any of the above SYSTEM CLAUSES furthercomprising:

the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication including at least

-   -   transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to decide        whether or not to execute a response protocol mapped to a first        recipient party identifier and to a phone-call context;    -   transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to decide        whether or not to execute a second response protocol mapped to        the first recipient party identifier and to a        human-readable-text-transmission context;    -   transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to decide        whether or not to execute a response protocol mapped to a second        recipient party identifier and to the phone-call context; and    -   transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to decide        whether or not to execute a response protocol mapped to the        second recipient party identifier and to the        human-readable-text-transmission context, at least one of the        first recipient party identifier or the second recipient party        identifier selectively identifying a member of a first subset of        the two or more parties.

All of the patents and other publications referred to herein areincorporated by reference into the present detailed descriptiongenerally—including those identified in the one or more InformationDisclosure Statements enclosed herein and especially those described inrelation to particular new applications of existing techniques—to theextent not inconsistent herewith (in each respective latest edition,where applicable). Moreover all aspects of the present application areincorporated by reference into the foregoing detailed description(including the content of the summary, claims, and drawings, e.g.).While various system, method, article of manufacture, or otherembodiments or aspects have been disclosed above, also, othercombinations of embodiments or aspects will be apparent to those skilledin the art in view of the above disclosure. The various embodiments andaspects disclosed above are for purposes of illustration and are notintended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicatedin the final claim set that follows.

What is claimed is:
 1. A communication system comprising: one or morearticles of manufacture including transistor-based circuitry constructedand arranged to cause an inclusion of a reference value in a firstrecord of a first communication from first equipment in a data-handlingmedium of second equipment including an electrical node set upon which avoltage configuration manifests the reference value; transistor-basedcircuitry constructed and arranged to transmit a second communication toa first mobile device configured to be shared by two or more partiesthat include a first party and a second party conditionally, partlybased on an indication of user action at the second equipment and partlybased on an indication of the reference value in the first record of thefirst communication from the first equipment matching an index of asecond record resulting from the first communication, the firstequipment comprising the first mobile device, including an electricalnode set upon which a voltage configuration manifests a component of thesecond communication identifying a first subset of the two or moreparties to whom the second communication is directed, the secondcommunication to the first mobile device not being directed to aremainder of the two or more parties.
 2. The communication system ofclaim 1 further comprising: transistor-based circuitry constructed andarranged to decide either to include a third party identifier in thesecond communication if the first communication indicates a third partyor to exclude the third party identifier from the second communicationif the first communication does not indicate the third party, the thirdparty being one of the two or more parties.
 3. The communication systemof claim 1 further comprising: the transistor-based circuitryconstructed and arranged to transmit the second communication to thefirst mobile device configured to be shared by the two or more partiesthat include the first party and the second party conditionally partlybased on the indication of the user action at the second equipment andpartly based on the indication of the reference value in the firstrecord of the first communication from the first equipment matching theindex of the second record resulting from the first communicationwherein the second communication is bidirectional.
 4. The communicationsystem of claim 1 further comprising: the transistor-based circuitryconstructed and arranged to transmit the second communication to thefirst mobile device configured to be shared by the two or more partiesthat include the first party and the second party conditionally partlybased on the indication of the user action at the second equipment andpartly based on the indication of the reference value in the firstrecord of the first communication from the first equipment matching theindex of the second record resulting from the first communicationwherein the second communication identifies the first subset of the twoor more parties to whom the second communication is directed as a subsetof the two or more parties from whom the first communication isreceived.
 5. (canceled)
 6. The communication system of claim 1 furthercomprising: the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged totransmit the second communication to the first mobile device configuredto be shared by the two or more parties that include the first party andthe second party conditionally partly based on the indication of theuser action at the second equipment and partly based on the indicationof the reference value in the first record of the first communicationfrom the first equipment matching the index of the second recordresulting from the first communication including at leasttransistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to post a charge fora component of the second communication to a first account associatedwith one or more members of the first subset, the first account notassociated with the remainder of the two or more parties.
 7. Thecommunication system of claim 1 further comprising: the transistor-basedcircuitry constructed and arranged to transmit the second communicationto the first mobile device configured to be shared by the two or moreparties that include the first party and the second party conditionallypartly based on the indication of the user action at the secondequipment and partly based on the indication of the reference value inthe first record of the first communication from the first equipmentmatching the index of the second record resulting from the firstcommunication including at least transistor-based circuitry constructedand arranged to request that a remote entity provide a user subsetidentification tag that corresponds with a virtual device identifier,the user subset identification tag identifying the first subset of thetwo or more parties.
 8. The communication system of claim 1 furthercomprising: the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged totransmit the second communication to the first mobile device configuredto be shared by the two or more parties that include the first party andthe second party conditionally partly based on the indication of theuser action at the second equipment and partly based on the indicationof the reference value in the first record of the first communicationfrom the first equipment matching the index of the second recordresulting from the first communication including at leasttransistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to receive adevice-executable code segment as a component of the firstcommunication, the device-executable code segment being executable by aprocessor of the second equipment. 9-13. (canceled)
 14. Thecommunication system of claim 1 further comprising: the transistor-basedcircuitry constructed and arranged to transmit the second communicationto the first mobile device configured to be shared by the two or moreparties that include the first party and the second party conditionallypartly based on the indication of the user action at the secondequipment and partly based on the indication of the reference value inthe first record of the first communication from the first equipmentmatching the index of the second record resulting from the firstcommunication including at least transistor-based circuitry constructedand arranged to configure a wireless transmission to include a channelestablishment request as a component of the second communication. 15-19.(canceled)
 20. A communication system comprising: one or more articlesof manufacture including transistor-based circuitry constructed andarranged to cause an inclusion of a reference value in a first record ofa first communication from first equipment in a data-handling medium ofsecond equipment; and transistor-based circuitry constructed andarranged to transmit a second communication to a first mobile deviceconfigured to be shared by two or more parties that include a firstparty and a second party conditionally, partly based on an indication ofuser action at the second equipment and partly based on an indication ofthe reference value in the first record of the first communication fromthe first equipment matching an index of a second record resulting fromthe first communication, the first equipment comprising the first mobiledevice.
 21. The communication system of claim 20 further comprising: thetransistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to cause theinclusion of the reference value in the first record of the firstcommunication from the first equipment in the data-handling medium ofthe second equipment including an electrical node set upon which avoltage configuration manifests the reference value.
 22. Thecommunication system of claim 20 further comprising: thetransistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication including an electrical node set upon which avoltage configuration manifests a component of the second communicationidentifying a first subset of the two or more parties to whom the secondcommunication is directed, the second communication to the first mobiledevice not being directed to a remainder of the two or more parties. 23.The communication system of claim 20 further comprising: thetransistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication including an electrical node set upon which avoltage configuration manifests a current balance in an active accountassociated with a first subset of the two or more parties, the activeaccount not being associated with a remainder of the two or moreparties.
 24. The communication system of claim 20 further comprising:the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication including an electrical node set upon which avoltage configuration manifests a first component of the firstcommunication.
 25. The communication system of claim 20 furthercomprising: an integrated circuit (IC) chip, the IC chip having a firstportion and a second portion, the first portion of the IC chip being thetransistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to cause theinclusion of the reference value in the first record of the firstcommunication from the first equipment in the data-handling medium ofthe second equipment, the second portion of the IC chip being thetransistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged to transmit thesecond communication to the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties that include the first party and the secondparty conditionally partly based on the indication of the user action atthe second equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication.
 26. The communication system of claim 20 furthercomprising: the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged totransmit the second communication to the first mobile device configuredto be shared by the two or more parties that include the first party andthe second party conditionally partly based on the indication of theuser action at the second equipment and partly based on the indicationof the reference value in the first record of the first communicationfrom the first equipment matching the index of the second recordresulting from the first communication, the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication having been received from third equipment, thesecond equipment being remote from the first equipment and from thesecond equipment.
 27. The communication system of claim 20 furthercomprising: the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged totransmit the second communication to the first mobile device configuredto be shared by the two or more parties that include the first party andthe second party conditionally partly based on the indication of theuser action at the second equipment and partly based on the indicationof the reference value in the first record of the first communicationfrom the first equipment matching the index of the second recordresulting from the first communication being responsive to whether ornot any one of the two or more parties has been designated as a defaultuser of the first mobile device configured to be shared by the two ormore parties.
 28. The communication system of claim 20 furthercomprising: transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged toinclude a third party identifier in the second communication if thefirst communication indicates a third party and to exclude the thirdparty identifier from the second communication if the firstcommunication does not indicate the third party, the third party beingone of the two or more parties.
 29. The communication system of claim 20further comprising: the transistor-based circuitry constructed andarranged to transmit the second communication to the first mobile deviceconfigured to be shared by the two or more parties that include thefirst party and the second party conditionally partly based on theindication of the user action at the second equipment and partly basedon the indication of the reference value in the first record of thefirst communication from the first equipment matching the index of thesecond record resulting from the first communication, the secondcommunication being unidirectional.
 30. The communication system ofclaim 20 further comprising: the transistor-based circuitry constructedand arranged to transmit the second communication to the first mobiledevice configured to be shared by the two or more parties that includethe first party and the second party conditionally partly based on theindication of the user action at the second equipment and partly basedon the indication of the reference value in the first record of thefirst communication from the first equipment matching the index of thesecond record resulting from the first communication, the secondcommunication being bidirectional.
 31. The communication system of claim20 further comprising: the transistor-based circuitry constructed andarranged to transmit the second communication to the first mobile deviceconfigured to be shared by the two or more parties that include thefirst party and the second party conditionally partly based on theindication of the user action at the second equipment and partly basedon the indication of the reference value in the first record of thefirst communication from the first equipment matching the index of thesecond record resulting from the first communication wherein the secondcommunication includes an account-specific header that identifies afirst subset of the two or more parties to whom the second communicationis directed.
 32. The communication system of claim 20 furthercomprising: the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged totransmit the second communication to the first mobile device configuredto be shared by the two or more parties that include the first party andthe second party conditionally partly based on the indication of theuser action at the second equipment and partly based on the indicationof the reference value in the first record of the first communicationfrom the first equipment matching the index of the second recordresulting from the first communication wherein the second communicationidentifies a first subset of the two or more parties indicated in thefirst communication.
 33. The communication system of claim 20 furthercomprising: the transistor-based circuitry constructed and arranged totransmit the second communication to the first mobile device configuredto be shared by the two or more parties that include the first party andthe second party conditionally partly based on the indication of theuser action at the second equipment and partly based on the indicationof the reference value in the first record of the first communicationfrom the first equipment matching the index of the second recordresulting from the first communication being responsive to adetermination whether or not the first communication lacks a partyindication tag. 34-51. (canceled)
 52. A communication system comprising:one or more articles of manufacture including means for causing aninclusion of a reference value in a first record of a firstcommunication from first equipment in a data-handling medium of secondequipment; and means for transmitting a second communication to a firstmobile device configured to be shared by two or more parties thatinclude a first party and a second party conditionally, partly based onan indication of user action at the second equipment and partly based onan indication of the reference value in the first record of the firstcommunication from the first equipment matching an index of a secondrecord resulting from the first communication, the first equipmentcomprising the first mobile device.
 53. The communication system ofclaim 52 further comprising: the means for transmitting the secondcommunication to the first mobile device configured to be shared by thetwo or more parties that include the first party and the second partyconditionally partly based on the indication of the user action at thesecond equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication including at least means for posting a charge for acomponent of the second communication to a first account specificallyassociated with a particular subset of the two or more parties.
 54. Thecommunication system of claim 52 further comprising: the means fortransmitting the second communication to the first mobile deviceconfigured to be shared by the two or more parties that include thefirst party and the second party conditionally partly based on theindication of the user action at the second equipment and partly basedon the indication of the reference value in the first record of thefirst communication from the first equipment matching the index of thesecond record resulting from the first communication including at leastmeans for requesting that a remote entity provide a user subsetidentification tag that corresponds with a virtual device identifier,the user subset identification tag identifying a first subset of the twoor more parties.
 55. The communication system of claim 52 furthercomprising: the means for transmitting the second communication to thefirst mobile device configured to be shared by the two or more partiesthat include the first party and the second party conditionally partlybased on the indication of the user action at the second equipment andpartly based on the indication of the reference value in the firstrecord of the first communication from the first equipment matching theindex of the second record resulting from the first communicationincluding at least means for requesting a retrieval of a particular tagby invoking a remote lookup operation, the particular tag being acomponent of the second communication that identifies the first mobiledevice. 56-57. (canceled)
 58. The communication system of claim 52further comprising: the means for transmitting the second communicationto the first mobile device configured to be shared by the two or moreparties that include the first party and the second party conditionallypartly based on the indication of the user action at the secondequipment and partly based on the indication of the reference value inthe first record of the first communication from the first equipmentmatching the index of the second record resulting from the firstcommunication including at least means for mapping a response protocolcomprising an operational parameter to a specific recipient partyidentifier and to a context of a specific communication having anidentified initiator, the specific communication being the firstcommunication.
 59. The communication system of claim 52 furthercomprising: the means for transmitting the second communication to thefirst mobile device configured to be shared by the two or more partiesthat include the first party and the second party conditionally partlybased on the indication of the user action at the second equipment andpartly based on the indication of the reference value in the firstrecord of the first communication from the first equipment matching theindex of the second record resulting from the first communicationincluding at least means for configuring a particular routing tag as atelephone number associated with a land line, the particular routing tagbeing associated with the two or more parties that include the firstparty and the second party.
 60. The communication system of claim 52further comprising: the means for transmitting the second communicationto the first mobile device configured to be shared by the two or moreparties that include the first party and the second party conditionallypartly based on the indication of the user action at the secondequipment and partly based on the indication of the reference value inthe first record of the first communication from the first equipmentmatching the index of the second record resulting from the firstcommunication including at least means for configuring a wirelesstransmission to include an interpersonal text message as a firstcomponent of the second communication.
 61. The communication system ofclaim 52 further comprising: the means for transmitting the secondcommunication to the first mobile device configured to be shared by thetwo or more parties that include the first party and the second partyconditionally partly based on the indication of the user action at thesecond equipment and partly based on the indication of the referencevalue in the first record of the first communication from the firstequipment matching the index of the second record resulting from thefirst communication including at least means for configuring a wirelesstransmission to include a channel establishment request as a componentof the second communication.
 62. The communication system of claim 52further comprising: the means for transmitting the second communicationto the first mobile device configured to be shared by the two or moreparties that include the first party and the second party conditionallypartly based on the indication of the user action at the secondequipment and partly based on the indication of the reference value inthe first record of the first communication from the first equipmentmatching the index of the second record resulting from the firstcommunication including at least means for associating a handset with aspecific routing tag in the second equipment, the handset being thefirst mobile device configured to be shared by the two or more parties.63. (canceled)
 64. The communication system of claim 52 furthercomprising: the means for transmitting the second communication to thefirst mobile device configured to be shared by the two or more partiesthat include the first party and the second party conditionally partlybased on the indication of the user action at the second equipment andpartly based on the indication of the reference value in the firstrecord of the first communication from the first equipment matching theindex of the second record resulting from the first communicationincluding at least means for initiating an investigation protocoleffective to determine whether or not a physical destinationcorresponding to a digital identifier can be found, the physicaldestination comprising the first mobile device configured to be sharedby the two or more parties.
 65. The communication system of claim 52further comprising: the means for transmitting the second communicationto the first mobile device configured to be shared by the two or moreparties that include the first party and the second party conditionallypartly based on the indication of the user action at the secondequipment and partly based on the indication of the reference value inthe first record of the first communication from the first equipmentmatching the index of the second record resulting from the firstcommunication including at least means for identifying the first partywith a first virtual mobile number that corresponds to a single realmobile number that uniquely identifies a portable device; and means foridentifying the second party with a second virtual mobile number thatcorresponds to the single real mobile number that uniquely identifiesthe portable device, the portable device being the first mobile deviceconfigured to be shared by the two or more parties.
 66. Thecommunication system of claim 52 further comprising: the means fortransmitting the second communication to the first mobile deviceconfigured to be shared by the two or more parties that include thefirst party and the second party conditionally partly based on theindication of the user action at the second equipment and partly basedon the indication of the reference value in the first record of thefirst communication from the first equipment matching the index of thesecond record resulting from the first communication including at leastmeans for mapping a response protocol comprising an operationalparameter to a specific recipient party identifier and to a specificanonymous communication context, the specific recipient party identifieridentifying a sender of or an initiator of the first communication. 67.The communication system of claim 52 further comprising: the means fortransmitting the second communication to the first mobile deviceconfigured to be shared by the two or more parties that include thefirst party and the second party conditionally partly based on theindication of the user action at the second equipment and partly basedon the indication of the reference value in the first record of thefirst communication from the first equipment matching the index of thesecond record resulting from the first communication including at leastmeans for configuring a component of one or more processors in thesecond equipment with a specific voltage configuration that manifests adevice-executable response protocol to trigger the second communication.68. The communication system of claim 52 further comprising: the meansfor transmitting the second communication to the first mobile deviceconfigured to be shared by the two or more parties that include thefirst party and the second party conditionally partly based on theindication of the user action at the second equipment and partly basedon the indication of the reference value in the first record of thefirst communication from the first equipment matching the index of thesecond record resulting from the first communication including at leastmeans for executing a real-time response to user input at a particulardevice that comprises terminating a temporary virtual guest privilegebefore a guest period previously assigned to the particular deviceexpires automatically, the particular device being the first mobiledevice configured to be shared by the two or more parties. 69.(canceled)
 70. The communication system of claim 52 further comprising:the means for transmitting the second communication to the first mobiledevice configured to be shared by the two or more parties that includethe first party and the second party conditionally partly based on theindication of the user action at the second equipment and partly basedon the indication of the reference value in the first record of thefirst communication from the first equipment matching the index of thesecond record resulting from the first communication including at leastmeans for deciding whether or not to execute a response protocol mappedto a first recipient party identifier and to a phone-call context; meansfor deciding whether or not to execute a second response protocol mappedto the first recipient party identifier and to ahuman-readable-text-transmission context; means for deciding whether ornot to execute a response protocol mapped to a second recipient partyidentifier and to the phone-call context; and means for deciding whetheror not to execute a response protocol mapped to the second recipientparty identifier and to the human-readable-text-transmission context, atleast one of the first recipient party identifier or the secondrecipient party identifier selectively identifying a member of a firstsubset of the two or more parties. 71-91. (canceled)